2022 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan

Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan
Part of the insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes
LocationSpera District, Khost Province, Afghanistan
Shultan District, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
Date16 April 2022; 2 years ago (2022-04-16)
(15 Ramadan 1443 AH)
2:00–3:00 a.m. (AFT, UTC+04:30)
TargetPakistani Taliban
Attack type
Rocket attacks, helicopter and jet strikes (Afghan claim)[1][2][3]
Drone strikes (Pakistani claim)[4]
DeathsAfghan official claims:
41 (Khost Province)[5]
6 (Kunar Province)[5]
InjuredAfghan official claims:
22 (Khost Province)[5]
1 (Kunar Province)[1]
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Location of bombing sites in Afghanistan

On 16 April 2022, the Pakistani military conducted predawn airstrikes on multiple targets in Afghanistan's Khost and Kunar provinces.[2] Afghan officials said the attacks killed at least 47 civilians and injured 23 others. [5][2][6][7] Initial reports described the attacks as either rocket strikes or aerial strikes carried out by a number of aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force,[1][2][8][9] and Afghan officials claimed the operation was carried out by Pakistani military helicopters and jets.[2][1][3] Pakistani officials initially denied Pakistan carried out the airstrikes,[10][11][12] but Pakistani security officials later claimed the airstrikes involved drone strikes from inside Pakistani airspace, and that no aircraft were deployed.[4] Some reports said the Pakistani airstrikes also targeted parts of Paktika Province.[13][8][14]

The Taliban administration in Kabul did not release casualty figures,[15][9] but acknowledged civilian deaths and diplomatically protested the incident.[16][17] The airstrikes appeared to have been carried out as retaliation to an attack on a Pakistani military convoy in North Waziristan, Pakistan on 14 April, which had killed seven Pakistani soldiers. According to the Pakistani media and some Afghan media outlets, the attacks targeted militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).[18] Pakistani soldiers had also reportedly clashed with Taliban forces around 9 p.m. on 15 April in Gurbuz District, Khost Province, killing two Taliban fighters.[19]

Protests against the attacks took place in several Afghan provinces including one in Nimruz Province, that turned violent when the Pakistani border forces allegedly opened fire and injured six protesters.[20] In Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a sit-in started after the airstrikes.[21] The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over the civilian casualties in the airstrikes, and said it was working to establish the facts and verify losses.[22]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference L was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e "Afghanistan death toll in 'Pakistan strikes' rises to at least 47: officials". France 24. April 17, 2022. Tension between the two neighbours further deepened after Saturday's pre-dawn air assault which Afghan officials now claim was carried out by Pakistani military helicopters.
  3. ^ a b Janjua, Haroon (21 April 2022). "Tensions increase between Taliban and Pakistan over attacks". Deutsche Welle. Afghan officials claimed that most of the civilians were killed when a Pakistani jet entered inside Afghanistan. Pakistan denied the claim of carrying out airstrikes.
  4. ^ a b Baghwan, Jamshed (19 April 2022). "'Pak drone' eliminated TTP targets in Afghanistan". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d "At least 47 dead in Afghanistan after Pakistan attacks: Officials". Al Jazeera. April 17, 2022.
  6. ^ "Afghanistan: Afghanistan death toll in 'Pakistan strikes' rises to at least 47: Officials". Al Arabiya English. 17 April 2022.
  7. ^ Gul, Ayaz (16 April 2022). "Taliban Condemn Pakistan for Alleged Cross-Border Attacks in Afghanistan". VOA.
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference asiat1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Pakistan Calls On Taliban To Act Against 'Terrorists' Operating On Afghan Soil". RFE/RL. 17 April 2022.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference aj2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Taliban authorities summon Pakistani envoy to protest military strikes". Reuters. 16 April 2022. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. A local Taliban official and residents said 36 people were killed in air strikes on Friday by Pakistani aircraft entering Afghan airspace. Pakistan denied it carried out the strikes.
  12. ^ Padshah, Safiullah; Goldbaum, Christina; Mehsud, Ihsanullah Tipu (17 April 2022). "Death Toll From Pakistani Airstrike Rises to 45, Afghan Officials Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 April 2022. The airstrikes on Saturday appear to have been carried out as retaliation to that attack. Most of the people killed in the airstrikes had been displaced from North Waziristan, according to locals.
  13. ^ "IEA, Pleads Resolution Between TTP & Pakistan Government Through Negotiation". Bakhtar News Agency. 16 April 2022. Meanwhile, last night, Pakistan targeted airstrikes in parts of Mir Safar and Kurai areas of Khost province, on 20 TTP members in Kunar province, and parts of Paktika province.
  14. ^ Shah, Saeed (28 April 2022). "Pakistani Militants Test Taliban Promise Not to Host Terror Groups". Wall Street Journal.
  15. ^ Baabar, Mariana (18 April 2022). "FO tells Kabul: Terrorists carrying out activities in Pakistan from Afghan soil". The News International. However, in what Kabul said was a strong demarche for Pakistan's leaders, Kabul has not mentioned any deaths or people wounded as has been carried in several media reports.
  16. ^ Gannon, Kathy (18 April 2022). "Pakistan warns neighbor Afghanistan not to shelter militants". Washington Post. The Taliban's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said civilians were killed in the bombing raids although no official numbers have been released.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pajhwok was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^
  19. ^ "Local Sources: Airstrikes by Pakistan Army Kill 30 Civilians in Parts of Khost Province". Hasht-e Subh Daily. 16 April 2022. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference 8am2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference dwps was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference voa1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).