India on Saturday strongly criticised Pakistan for carrying out air strikes inside Afghanistan, saying the attacks had resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
Responding to media queries on the issue, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X, India viewed the incident as another example of aggression from Pakistan. “India condemns the air strikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan's territory, leading to the death of several civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure,” he said.
Jaiswal also said the development reflects continued hostility from Pakistan toward the concept of a sovereign Afghanistan. “This is yet another act of aggression by a Pakistani establishment that remains hostile to the idea of a sovereign Afghanistan.”
{{/usCountry}}Jaiswal also said the development reflects continued hostility from Pakistan toward the concept of a sovereign Afghanistan. “This is yet another act of aggression by a Pakistani establishment that remains hostile to the idea of a sovereign Afghanistan.”
{{/usCountry}}Also read| Pakistan strikes Kabul and Afghan border provinces, 4 killed in airstrikes
The remarks came after the Pakistani military carried out aerial strikes within Afghan territory in recent weeks, amid an escalating conflict between the two sides. India, meanwhile, reiterated its position that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be fully respected.
Pakistan strikes Kabul and Afghan border provinces
Earlier, Pakistan carried out overnight air strikes in Afghanistan, including on the capital Kabul, killing four people and wounding 15, Afghan authorities said on Friday, as tensions between the two neighbours escalated again.
A spokesperson for the Taliban government said Pakistan had also bombed the fuel depot of private airline Kam Air near Afghanistan's Kandahar airport.
Pakistan's military has not yet issues a statement yet, but a Pakistani security source confirmed the strikes to news agency AFP. The official said that they targeted militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the operation targeted “accurate targets involving TTP.”
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harbouring TTP militants responsible for a series of deadly attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government in Kabul has denied the allegations and insists Afghan territory is not being used for attacks against other countries.
Khalil Zadran, spokesperson for Kabul police, said the bombardment struck residential areas in the capital, leaving four people dead and 15 others injured.