India condemns Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan as ‘act of aggression’
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India on Saturday condemned recent airstrikes by Pakistan inside Afghanistan, calling them an act of aggression that led to civilian deaths and damage to infrastructure.
According to Afghan officials, several civilians were killed and many others injured after Pakistani air raids targeted multiple provinces, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktika, and Paktia.
Responding to the attacks, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India strongly condemned the strikes.
India condemns the air strikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan's territory, leading to the death of several civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. This is yet another act of aggression by a Pakistani establishment that remains hostile to the idea of a sovereign Afghanistan,” he said in a statement.
India also reiterated that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
Afghan authorities said the airstrikes were carried out on Thursday night and Friday across several locations, including Khost and Nangarhar. An oil depot was reportedly targeted in Kandahar.
Deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said at least four people were killed and more than 25 were injured in the strikes in Kabul.
Following the attacks, Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military installations in Kohat District.
According to a statement shared by the ministry, Afghan forces targeted a military fort in Kohat and a war command centre along the Durand Line in response to what it described as incursions by the Pakistani military.