Afghanistan claims airstrikes on ISIS-linked targets in Pakistan

Kabul, July 1 (IANS) Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence on Wednesday claimed that its forces carried out airstrikes against alleged ISIS-linked targets in Pakistan.

In a statement, the Afghan Ministry said the attacks were carried out on Tuesday night against what it described as ISIS facilities in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

“The air forces of the Afghan Ministry of Defence tonight conducted airstrikes on an ISIS joint centre and elements of evil and corruption in the Saranan area of the Pishin district, Balochistan province. This centre was used for carrying out sabotage activities and planning attacks in Afghanistan, and it served as a coordination hub for bombings in which Afghan civilians were targeted,” the Ministry stated.

“In the Qambar Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, successful airstrikes were carried out by the Afghan Air Force on a Daesh centre, and in the Garam Chashma area of the Shah Salim Valley in Chitral, on another joint Daesh centre and elements of evil and corruption. Destructive activities and attacks against civilians were also being planned from these centres,” it added.

Citing preliminary information, the Ministry said that the strikes inflicted heavy casualties and significant financial losses on ISIS and its supporters. It added that the attacks were carried out with high precision against designated targets and caused no civilian casualties.

“Afghan air defence forces will target any location used to disrupt Afghanistan’s security,” the Ministry affirmed.

The strikes came just days after as many as 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed, while 163 others were injured in Pakistani military airstrikes in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan.

Taliban Deputy Spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat on Monday confirmed that Pakistani military airstrikes carried out on June 28 in the Afghan provinces resulted in the death of 36 civilians and injuries to 163 others as well as the complete destruction of three residential houses.

Earlier on Monday, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul and conveyed its strong and unequivocal protest regarding the violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and the aerial bombardment of civilian homes in Kunar, Paktia, and Paktika provinces.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry described these attacks as “a flagrant violation of international law, humanitarian law, and the sovereign integrity of states” while condemning them in the strongest possible terms.

–IANS

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