Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi issued a stern warning to Pakistan on Thursday, urging the country to “learn from history” after airstrikes killed 46 people in Afghanistan. His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes in Barmal district, Paktika province, on Tuesday night, which targeted civilian areas and resulted in the deaths of women and children.
Muttaqi, speaking at an event marking the 45th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, emphasized that Afghanistan would never accept invasions. He pointed to the fates of the Soviet Union and the United States, suggesting that Pakistan should take lessons from these powers’ experiences in Afghanistan.
Muttaqi Warns Pakistan to Learn from History
Muttaqi’s statement came less than 48 hours after the Pakistani airstrikes, the second such attack on Afghan soil this year. In March, a similar strike killed eight people, including three children. The latest airstrikes sparked outrage across Afghanistan. Taliban officials condemned the attacks, and analysts in Pakistan expressed concern over the potential risks of such actions.
Enayatullah Khwarazmi, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, called the airstrikes a violation of international law and an act of aggression. He added that such actions would not resolve any issues. Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, also condemned the strikes as a direct violation of Afghan sovereignty and warned that tensions between the countries stemmed from Pakistan’s policies of supporting extremism.
Afghanistan Condemns Pakistani Airstrikes and Calls for Change
In response to the airstrikes, Afghanistan summoned Hafiz Zia Ahmad, Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul, and issued a strong demarche. Despite no official response from Pakistan’s government or military, local media reports suggest the airstrikes were a retaliation for a surge in terrorist attacks, including a recent attack in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa that killed 16 Pakistani soldiers.
The Pakistani media speculated that the strikes were intended to send a message to Kabul: While Islamabad is open to talks, it is also willing to target anti-Pakistan militants in Afghanistan if the Taliban fail to take action.
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