At least 28 civilians, including women and children, were killed, and 49 others were injured in Pakistani airstrikes in three Afghan provinces overnight, The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Monday.
The agency warned that the figures are preliminary
"UNAMA reiterates its call for respect for the international humanitarian law principles of precaution, distinction and proportionality to protect civilians from harm," the mission said in a statement.
Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces overnight, saying it targeted militant hideouts responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, while Afghan authorities said the strikes killed dozens of civilians and violated the country's sovereignty. Afghan officials invited members of the media to visit the strike sites. Kabul also vowed to respond to the airstrikes at an appropriate time.
Following the strikes, both Kabul and Islamabad summoned each other's respective chargés d'affaires to lodge strong protests.
Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said the strikes violated international law, humanitarian principles and Afghanistan's sovereignty. The ministry also said Pakistan routinely blames Afghanistan for security incidents inside Pakistan without providing credible evidence, arguing that Islamabad is attempting to shift responsibility for its own security and political shortcomings.
Relations between the neighbouring countries remain strained over security issues. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban authorities of backing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for decades of attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies the accusations.
Pakistan has carried out similar cross-border airstrikes in Afghanistan in the past that repeatedly resulted in civilian casualties. The deadliest single incident was the March 16 airstrike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, where UNAMA independently verified that at least 269 civilians were killed and 122 others were injured.
