Karzai Condemns Pakistani Airstrikes in Afghanistan, Urges End to Enmity

Karzai also urged the Pakistani government to abandon enmity, exercise foresight and adopt a civilised approach with Afghanistan.

"Former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai strongly condemns the Pakistani strikes on the country's capital and the provinces of Kandahar, Paktia, and Paktika, which have resulted in the martyrdom of a number of our compatriots, including women and children, and considers them a clear and grave violation of the principles of neighbourliness, human values, and international laws. Hamid Karzai once again calls on the Government of Pakistan to abandon enmity, exercise foresight, and adopt a good and civilized relationship and approach with Afghanistan," Karzai posted on X.

The former President's statement comes after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Pakistan carried out fresh military strikes across multiple Afghan provinces, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, and Paktika, resulting in civilian casualties, including women and children.

The attacks have heightened tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, with the Taliban condemning the strikes as violations of Afghan sovereignty.

"Continuing the pattern of previous aggressions and crimes, the Pakistani military regime has once again bombed Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Paktika, and some other areas. In some places, it targetted civilians' homes, leading to the death of women and children, and in other places, it targetted empty deserts and uninhabited areas," Mujahid posted on X.

Condemning the attacks by Pakistani forces, he further said, "This unjust assault in the last 10 days of the blessed month of Ramadan and on the threshold of Eid al-Fitr clearly indicates that they adhere to no human principles or moral values whatsoever. The Islamic Emirate condemns this crime and this flagrant assault in the strongest terms, and God willing, this injustice will not go unanswered."

Mujahid accused the Pakistani military aircraft of setting ablaze the fuel storage of Kam Air, a private airline company, near Kandahar International Airport in Afghanistan.

"This company supplies fuel to civilian airlines and United Nations aircraft. This comes at a time when they had previously also burnt fuel depots belonging to private traders named Haji Khan Zada," the Taliban spokesperson posted on X.

The current round of hostilities began when Taliban-led Afghan forces launched retaliatory operations against Pakistani military installations on February 27, following Pakistan's actions targeting militants inside Afghan territory on February 21.

Following Afghanistan's attacks, Pakistan launched 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' (Righteous Fury) in response to what it described as "unprovoked firing" by the Afghan forces across multiple border sectors.

- IANS