Four killed as Pakistan carries out fresh airstrikes in Afghanistan: Taliban

Kabul: Pakistan's military once again carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan's Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces on Thursday, killing four civilians, said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.

Condemning the "indiscriminate and cowardly" attacks, Mujahid, in a post on X, described them as a flagrant violation of all principles and a clear act of "aggression and crime".

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assures the people that these shameless acts of aggression and attacks by the Pakistani military regime will be met with an appropriate response through a decisive stance. In an apparent attempt to justify such brazen aggression and oppression, Pakistani military circles spread a claim yesterday that drones had allegedly crossed into their territory from Afghanistan," the Taliban spokesperson stated.

"Likewise, they once again launched an aerial attack on Afghan territory, apparently in an attempt to justify their inability to deal with their internal problems," he added.

Mujahid further warned that such "reckless, careless, and hostile actions" would undoubtedly provoke the anger of the Afghan people and have adverse consequences for the Pakistani military regime.

Following the attack, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai criticised Islamabad's continued policy of aggression towards Afghanistan, warning that its consequences were increasingly reaching Pakistan itself.

"Pakistan once again carried out bombings in Kandahar, Khost, and Paktia of our dear homeland. It seems that Islamabad does not intend to abandon its continuation of that negative policy, the fire of which has now reached its own doorstep as well. Pakistan must realise that Afghans as a whole, without any discrimination, stand united and resolute against these aggressions of Pakistan," Karzai posted on X.

"Once again, I call upon the government of Pakistan to choose the path of good neighbourliness with Afghanistan and to civilise its relations with us," he added.

These latest attacks came just days after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Kunar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan, which killed three people.

Mujahid condemned the September 21 airstrikes, saying Pakistan targeted Afghan territory and civilians and warned that Afghanistan would give an "appropriate response" to the attacks.

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