Blatant assault on sovereignty: India shreds Pak over air strikes on Afghanistan
In a sharply worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of carrying out an "act of aggression" that not only undermined Afghanistan's territorial integrity but also threatened peace and stability across the region.
India strongly condemned Pakistan's air strikes on Afghan territory, describing the attacks as a blatant violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty after Kabul said at least 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the cross-border operation.
In a sharply worded statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of carrying out an "act of aggression" that not only undermined Afghanistan's territorial integrity but also threatened peace and stability across the region.
The condemnation marks one of India's strongest responses to recent developments along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where tensions have escalated following Islamabad's military action against what it says were militant hideouts.
INDIA BLAMES PAK FOR CROSS-BORDER ESCALATION
New Delhi further accused Pakistan of attempting to divert attention from its own domestic security challenges by launching military operations beyond its borders.
"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 ministry said.
The remarks came after Pakistan announced that it had carried out what it described as an intelligence-based ground operation near the frontier, followed by "calibrated strikes" on alleged militant infrastructure inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan said the operation targeted hideouts belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), groups it blames for a series of deadly attacks inside the country.
INDIA BACKS AFGHANISTAN
Expressing solidarity with the Afghan people, New Delhi said it stood firmly behind Afghanistan's sovereignty and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
"India strongly condemns Pakistan's air-strikes on Afghan territory that have resulted in several civilian casualties, including women and children. This blatant act of aggression by Pakistan is an assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability," the Ministry of External Affairs said.
India also conveyed sympathy to the victims' families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
"India conveys its condolences to Afghan families that have lost loved ones, prays for early recovery of those injured and reiterates its unwavering support for Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement added.
KABUL DISPUTES PAKISTAN'S ACCOUNT
Islamabad maintained that its forces killed 29 militants during the operation, including four in a ground offensive in Bajaur district before launching precision strikes on three alleged militant locations in Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces.
Afghan authorities, however, rejected Pakistan's version of events and accused its military of targeting civilian homes instead of militant positions.
According to Kabul, Pakistani fighter jets struck residential areas overnight, killing at least 36 civilians and injuring 163 others.
The attacks occurred in Paktia province's Chamkani district, where an initial strike hit a residential house before a second bombardment allegedly targeted people who had gathered to rescue survivors. Afghan authorities said the two strikes together killed 30 civilians and left scores injured.
In neighbouring Paktika province, another air strike reportedly destroyed a home, killing six civilians, most of them women and children. Afghan officials also reported damage to a residential building in Kunar province.
BORDER TENSIONS ESCALATE
Pakistan said the military action followed a wave of militant violence, including an attack on the Rangers' regional headquarters in Karachi a day earlier that left three soldiers dead.
Security forces later killed three attackers and arrested another injured suspect, whom the Pakistani military identified as an Afghan national. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the assault.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration of providing safe haven to TTP militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied those allegations and has condemned repeated cross-border military operations as violations of Afghan sovereignty.
India strongly condemned Pakistan's air strikes on Afghan territory, describing the attacks as a blatant violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty after Kabul said at least 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the cross-border operation.
In a sharply worded statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of carrying out an "act of aggression" that not only undermined Afghanistan's territorial integrity but also threatened peace and stability across the region.
The condemnation marks one of India's strongest responses to recent developments along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where tensions have escalated following Islamabad's military action against what it says were militant hideouts.
INDIA BLAMES PAK FOR CROSS-BORDER ESCALATION
New Delhi further accused Pakistan of attempting to divert attention from its own domestic security challenges by launching military operations beyond its borders.
"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 ministry said.
The remarks came after Pakistan announced that it had carried out what it described as an intelligence-based ground operation near the frontier, followed by "calibrated strikes" on alleged militant infrastructure inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan said the operation targeted hideouts belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), groups it blames for a series of deadly attacks inside the country.
INDIA BACKS AFGHANISTAN
Expressing solidarity with the Afghan people, New Delhi said it stood firmly behind Afghanistan's sovereignty and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
"India strongly condemns Pakistan's air-strikes on Afghan territory that have resulted in several civilian casualties, including women and children. This blatant act of aggression by Pakistan is an assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability," the Ministry of External Affairs said.
India also conveyed sympathy to the victims' families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
"India conveys its condolences to Afghan families that have lost loved ones, prays for early recovery of those injured and reiterates its unwavering support for Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement added.
KABUL DISPUTES PAKISTAN'S ACCOUNT
Islamabad maintained that its forces killed 29 militants during the operation, including four in a ground offensive in Bajaur district before launching precision strikes on three alleged militant locations in Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces.
Afghan authorities, however, rejected Pakistan's version of events and accused its military of targeting civilian homes instead of militant positions.
According to Kabul, Pakistani fighter jets struck residential areas overnight, killing at least 36 civilians and injuring 163 others.
The attacks occurred in Paktia province's Chamkani district, where an initial strike hit a residential house before a second bombardment allegedly targeted people who had gathered to rescue survivors. Afghan authorities said the two strikes together killed 30 civilians and left scores injured.
In neighbouring Paktika province, another air strike reportedly destroyed a home, killing six civilians, most of them women and children. Afghan officials also reported damage to a residential building in Kunar province.
BORDER TENSIONS ESCALATE
Pakistan said the military action followed a wave of militant violence, including an attack on the Rangers' regional headquarters in Karachi a day earlier that left three soldiers dead.
Security forces later killed three attackers and arrested another injured suspect, whom the Pakistani military identified as an Afghan national. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the assault.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration of providing safe haven to TTP militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied those allegations and has condemned repeated cross-border military operations as violations of Afghan sovereignty.
