Pakistan accused of conducting air raids on Afghan cities

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has accused Pakistan of carrying out overnight air attacks on civilian targets in Kabul and Kandahar province. The attacks, which occurred on Friday, resulted in the deaths of women and children, according to the Taliban.

Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Pakistani aircraft also targeted fuel depots belonging to Kam Air near Kandahar airport. No immediate comment has been received from Pakistan’s military or government regarding the incident.

The international community has called for restraint from both sides, but no response has been forthcoming. On Thursday, the Taliban reported that four members of a family, including two children, were killed by Pakistani artillery and mortar fire in eastern Afghanistan. This brings the total number of deaths in cross-border clashes to seven since Tuesday, according to authorities in Kabul.

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified on February 26 when Afghanistan launched an offensive along their shared border in response to earlier air attacks by Pakistan. The US and Israel also launched a joint operation against Iran on the same day, sparking a regional war.

Pakistan maintains that it does not target civilians, but casualty claims from both sides are difficult to verify independently. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring fighters from the Pakistan Taliban and ISIS affiliate in Khorasan province, while Afghan authorities deny these allegations.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan reported 56 civilian deaths, including 24 children, resulting from Pakistani military operations from February 26 to March 5. Pakistani officials have confirmed 12 soldiers killed and 27 wounded in recent fighting, while the Taliban claims over 150 casualties. Approximately 115,000 people have been displaced due to the conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera