India Condemns Pakistan Air Strikes on Afghanistan as Blatant Act of Aggression

India strongly condemned Pakistan's military air strikes on Afghan territory and warned the escalation threatens regional peace. The strikes caused severe civilian casualties, the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated, as reported by PTI, "This blatant act of aggression by Pakistan is an assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability."

The official statement issued a sharp rebuke against Islamabad over the military incursions. "It reflects Pakistan's persistent pattern of reckless behaviour and its futile attempt to externalise internal failures through desperate acts of violence beyond its borders," the MEA stated, as reported by PTI.

India conveyed condolences to affected Afghan families, prayed for the early recovery of those injured and reiterated unwavering support for Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Escalating Diplomatic Row

Diplomatic tensions escalated sharply. Afghanistan summoned Pakistan's charge d'affaires in Kabul to protest the strikes across Kunar, Paktia and Paktika provinces.

The Afghan foreign ministry posted on X that the Pakistani strikes killed 36 civilians and injured 163. The victims included women and children. The ministry also rejected Pakistan's allegations linking Afghanistan to recent militant attacks, accusing Islamabad of attempting to shift blame for its internal security challenges onto Afghanistan. Pakistan has not immediately responded to the Afghan allegations.

Pakistan retaliated diplomatically. It summoned Afghan charge d'affaires Sardar Ahmed Khan Shakeeb in Islamabad on Sunday to issue a strong demarche over a recent militant attack on the Karachi Rangers headquarters.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi and Ambassador Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani delivered the demarches. They alleged Afghan nationals and territory facilitated the Karachi assault.

Details Of Operations

Ground offensives preceded the strikes. Information Minister Atta Tarar said security forces killed four militants in a Bajaur district ground operation on June 28.

Pakistan subsequently launched overnight precision strikes under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on June 28-29. These operations destroyed three targets, killed 25 militants belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and 'Fitna-al-Khwarij', a term Islamabad uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and destroyed weapons and ammunition stored there.

The Karachi Rangers headquarters attack earlier in the week triggered the cross-border escalation. That incident resulted in the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers and three attackers. Security forces arrested one injured Afghan suspect. Banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for that attack. The injured suspect told investigators that he was an Afghan national and that the attack had been planned in Afghanistan with the assistance of a militant based in the bordering district Bajaur, security sources said.

Pakistan originally launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on February 26. The military initiated the campaign following 53 border clashes initiated by Afghan Taliban forces. The current strikes are part of the broader anti-terror operation, as Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks targeting police and security forces in recent years.