'Pakistan must receive response for shameful act', warns Taliban

Kabul, Feb 26 (IANS) The Taliban has slammed Pakistan for its airstrikes on Afghanistan, terming it a "shameful act" and warned of a military response to it, adding that Islamabad targeted civilians instead of militants.

In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Naturally, it would be a military response, but its details are confidential, and I cannot explain further. Pakistan must receive a response for its shameful act."

On February 22, Afghanistan's Ministry of National Defence accused the Pakistani military regime of carrying out deadly airstrikes in various residential areas of the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, resulting in the death of several civilians. Islamabad has claimed that it was targeting militant groups that were carrying out attacks in Pakistan.

Mujahid said a family of 22 people was hit in Nangarhar, with 17 killed and five injured. He said one child was injured after a school was hit and several buildings were damaged.

He said, "There were no armed individuals there. Only civilians were injured and killed, and civilian areas were targeted."

Mujahid rejected Pakistan's accusations that Afghan territory is used against neighbouring nations. "Unfortunately, whenever attacks occur inside Pakistan, they immediately attribute them to Afghanistan without evidence and accuse us. We reject this. Afghan soil is not allowed to be used against anyone,” Al Arabiya English quoted him as saying.

He said Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) had no presence in Afghanistan and the group largely controls areas in Pakistan. He said, "These are Pakistan’s internal problems. TTP controls large areas inside Pakistan itself. They can live there; they do not need Afghan soil. And we would not allow them to use Afghan soil in the first place."

He stated that Pakistan has not provided proof to back its claims. Mujahid accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to ISIS instead of combating them, Al Arabiya English reported.

On February 24, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that at least 13 people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan's airstrikes on Nangarhar and Paktika.

UNAMA stated that 13 people were killed and seven others were injured in Pakistan's airstrikes in Bahsud and Khogiani districts of Nangarhar on February 21–22 from 11:15 p.m. to 1:45 a.m., Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported. A school and a mosque were hit in two attacks targeting Paktita's Barmal district, while a house was destroyed in Orgun district of Paktita.

UNAMA condemned Pakistan's airstrikes and urged all parties to immediately stop hostilities and follow international humanitarian law so that civilians are not harmed. It demanded transparent investigations and accountability and emphasised the need for protective measures for people in conflict-hit regions.