Kabul, Feb 22 (EFE).- Eastern Afghanistan was hit overnight by several airstrikes, which destroyed civilian infrastructure and left dozens of victims under the rubble, the de facto Taliban government reported Sunday while directly blaming Pakistan for the attacks.
“Pakistani forces attacked civilian homes and a madrasa (religious school) in Paktika and Nangarhar provinces. The victims are civilians, most of whom are women and children,” a Taliban government spokesperson confirmed to EFE.
Nangarhar police spokesman Sayed Tayyab Hamad told EFE that the most devastating attack occurred in the Behsood district, where a missile hit a family home that had 23 people inside at the time of the bombing. So far, only four people have been rescued.
“There is no confirmed information about more survivors among those still under the rubble; most are minors and women,” Hamad said.
The Taliban’s main spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, denounced the attack and blamed Pakistan.
“Pakistani special forces have once again invaded Afghan territory. Last night, they bombed our civilian compatriots in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, martyring and wounding dozens of people, including women and children,” he posted on social media platform X.
“Pakistani generals are compensating for the security weaknesses in their country with such crimes,” he added.
Security teams and volunteers were at the affected sites trying to remove the rubble from the houses and the madrasa hit.
Images posted by residents of the affected area show scenes of chaos, with civilians covered in blood and dust being rescued by their own neighbors in the absence of specialized equipment.
Islamabad is yet to comment on the attacks, although in the past it has carried out similar operations in Afghan territory, which it claimed was in retaliation against insurgent groups.
This new attack aggravates the situation in a region where the lack of heavy machinery and emergency medical services hinders the chances of rescue for those buried in the rubble. EFE
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