Intensifying border hostilities see Pakistan’s airstrikes morph into civilian intimidation tactics against Afghanistan, far from the proclaimed militant hunts. A fresh report dubs this Islamabad’s cynical ploy, masquerading brutality as necessity during Ramadan.
Eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika suffered February 22 bombings: UNAMA logs 13 civilian deaths, seven injuries (women/children included); locals report 18-20 fatalities. Pakistan touts 70-80 militant eliminations on ‘intel,’ sans evidence.
Analyst Michael Arijanti in The Times of Israel decries the ‘disgraceful pattern’: pure civilian targeting, sovereignty breach needing cessation. ‘Forget TTP/ISKP excuses—this weakens Afghans outright.’
Afghan riposte: Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat announced 11 AM Friday strikes on Pakistani installations—Faizabad near Islamabad, Naushera camp, Jamrud colony, Abbottabad—in payback for Thursday raids on Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia.
Push grows for international probes, intel vetting by UN/EU. Kabul files UNSC grievance demanding stops, fair audits; Taliban eyes ‘considered’ retaliation. UNAMA enforces civilian rights under law.
India leads with principled fury: MEA slams ‘flagrant violation’ for holy month losses, accuses external blame-shifting. Post-2021 Taliban era, India’s tech/diplo influx irks Pakistan over potential Afghan-based threats. This diplomacy sidelines Islamabad, fortifies Kabul ties, curtails Central Asian sway, smartly advancing stability in nuclear environs.