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In a stern assessment of Pakistan's aggressive cross-border manoeuvres, the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan has expressed deep concern over the ongoing military confrontation between Islamabad and Kabul, pointing to the devastating toll exacted on innocent civilians, particularly children.
Highlighting the rising human cost of Pakistan's military operations across the border, the Embassy wrote in a post on X, "We are seriously concerned about the ongoing military confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which affects civilians, including children." https://x.com/RusEmbassyKabul/status/2106354914524070365?s=20 The concerns from Moscow come amid mounting global scrutiny over Pakistans military actions along its western border, which have triggered severe civilian casualties and heightened regional instability across South and Central Asia. Meanwhile, recent Pakistani airstrikes have killed nine people and injured eleven others on Thursday across Afghan territory, according to the Afghan government. The destructive bombardment targeted residential areas, obliterating three houses situated within Kunar and Helmand provinces, Afghan government chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed in a post on X. Confirming the mounting civilian casualties resulting from the military aggression, the chief spokesperson stated that at least nine people were killed, including women and children. Strongly denouncing the unjustified military assault, Mujahid asserted, We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles. The deadly strikes form part of a pattern of hostile military actions by Pakistan, which has repeatedly carried out unauthorised airstrikes inside sovereign Afghan territory as bilateral tensions escalated dramatically earlier this year amid longstanding border disputes. This came days after Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan's Kunar and Paktika provinces killed three civilians. According to a TOLOnews report, the Rakha and Torkandi areas of Barmal district in Paktika province were targeted in two separate strikes early Monday. A separate strike in Kunar reportedly killed three people and injured several others. Subsequently, the Afghan government accused the Pakistani military of targeting civilian areas and described the strikes as a repetition of what it called "crimes" against Afghanistan. The government further vowed an "appropriate response" to Pakistani airstrikes. Exposing the severe humanitarian toll of Islamabad's military campaigns, the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan reported last week that it had documented over 1,100 civilian casualties resulting from cross-border violence so far this year. While Pakistan routinely attempts to deflect international criticism by denying civilian casualties and claiming to target militants, Kabul maintains its firm stance, rejecting baseless allegations of harbouring militant groups. Islamabad has continually accused the Afghan government of allowing factions such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan to operate from Afghan soil, allegations that Kabul has categorically dismissed as unfounded and part of Pakistan's attempts to shift blame for its own internal security failures. (ANI)
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