Civilian casualties have been reported following airstrikes carried out by the Pakistani military regime in Nangarhar province.
According to local officials, Pakistani military aircraft bombed the home of a civilian named Shahabuddin in Behsud district of Nangarhar at around midnight the previous night. As a result, 18 members of the family were killed and five others were injured.
Officials from the Nangarhar Police Command said the airstrikes were conducted in Behsud, Khogyani, and Ghani Khil districts, and civilians suffered casualties in all of the targeted areas.
Sayed Tayeb Hammad, spokesperson for the Nangarhar Police Command, stated:
“Continuing its past aggressions, Pakistan once again carried out airstrikes at around midnight last night in Behsud, Khogyani, and Ghani Khil districts of Nangarhar province. Most of those killed were women and children. In Behsud district, 23 members of one family were trapped under the rubble, of whom 18 were killed and five others injured.”
Nezakhat, a member of the family whose home was targeted by Pakistani aircraft, said they have no ties to any armed group and do not know why their house was struck at midnight.
Nezakhat, a victim of the airstrike, said:
“I was asleep at home with my family members when the strike occurred. The women and children were screaming, asking me to pull them out from under the rubble.”
Residents of Nangarhar have condemned the incident and are calling on the government and the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for such attacks.
Rahimullah, a resident of Nangarhar, said:
“We want prevention of such incidents. These are very cruel and brutal attacks.”
Another resident, Abdullah, said:
“We are deeply saddened by this incident. It must be prevented.”
Approximately three months ago, Pakistani aircraft also targeted the home of a civilian named Abdul Wahab in the Sagi area of Asadabad, the center of Kunar province.
There are renewed calls for the international community and global human rights organizations to increase pressure on Pakistan to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
