Pakistan claim of killing 80 militants ‘false’, Taliban security source says
The Afghan Defence Ministry said ‘various civilian areas’ in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrasa and multiple homes
Pakistan’s claim of killing at least 80 militants in strikes on Afghanistan is “false”, a Taliban government security source told Agence France-Presse on Sunday.
“The figure of 80 martyrs given by the Pakistan regime is false and imaginary,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan’s deputy interior minister, offered no evidence for his claim in an interview with Geo News that at least 70 militants were killed in the strikes. Pakistan’s state-run media later reported that militant fatalities jumped to 80.
Agence France-Presse journalists in Afghanistan were not able to verify the toll given by Pakistan, while Afghan officials said at least 18 people were killed in the strikes including children.
The Afghan Defence Ministry said in a statement that “various civilian areas” in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrasa and multiple homes. The statement called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul to protest against the Pakistani strikes.