Pakistani jets bombed four locations in Paktika’s Barmal district, killing 46 people and wounding six, according to Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban’s interim administration.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry sent a “letter of strong protest” to Pakistani diplomat Hafiz Zia Ahmad. The blast was carried out during a meeting between Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan and Taliban representatives in Kabul on Tuesday, according to the statement.
Afghanistan strongly rejects any violation of territorial integrity and is firmly committed to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The country added that the Pakistani side had been clearly informed that defence of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty was a red line for Kabul and that such actions would have consequences.
According to Kabul, this is Pakistan’s second airstrike on Afghan territory after the first in March, which the Taliban administration formally protested against. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of failing to crack down on Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants allegedly operating from Afghanistan.
In recent months, the TTP has carried out deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces, mostly in border areas.
