Taliban condemns Pakistani drone strikes on Afghan provinces

KABUL: Taliban officials condemned overnight drone strikes by Pakistan in eastern Afghanistan, which targeted parts of Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Local sources said the strikes hit Barmal and Urgun districts in Paktika, as well as Khogyani, Ghani Khel, and Behsud districts in Nangarhar. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attacks killed and wounded dozens of civilians, including women and children. “Pakistan’s military continues to violate Afghan territory and hide domestic security weaknesses through such acts,” he said. The Afghan Ministry of National Defense also denounced the strikes, calling them “a clear violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and international law” and warning that a “measured and calculated response” would be delivered in due time. The ministry said the attacks targeted civilian homes and a religious school. The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice confirmed the strike hit a madrassa in Barmal district, describing it as further evidence of Pakistan’s attacks on civilians.