Pakistani Airstrikes Kill Afghan Civilians, US Appeal Urges Halt

In recent weeks Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan after about a month of relative calm. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the latest attacks killed roughly 13 civilians and wounded 10 others. Islamabad said the strikes targeted Taliban‑linked TTP militants, claiming 26 fighters were killed, but independent verification was lacking.

U.S. officials have been urged to demand proof of the Pakistani claims and to order an independent investigation into the civilian deaths. Residents of Khost province recounted families losing multiple children and adults, describing the victims as ordinary, impoverished villagers with no ties to armed groups. The report also referenced a March Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul drug‑rehabilitation centre that killed about 143 people, drawing only nominal criticism from the international community.

Human‑rights advocates argue that civilian casualties should not be dismissed as background events and call for accountability, emphasizing that the right to life must be upheld for Afghan civilians regardless of the broader anti‑terrorism campaign.