How Did Over 30 Lives Get Lost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Due to Pakistani Air Force Bombings?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Over 30 casualties reported, including women and children.
- Pakistani Air Force conducted airstrikes in a village.
- Widespread condemnation from human rights groups.
- Rescue operations ongoing with expectations of rising casualties.
- Local political parties are voicing their outrage.
Islamabad, Sep 22 (NationPress) More than 30 individuals, including numerous women and children, tragically lost their lives on Monday when the Pakistani Air Force executed airstrikes, dropping eight bombs on a village located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, according to various media outlets.
The air strikes involved Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets deploying LS-6 bombs on the predominantly Pashtun village of Matre Dara in the Tirah valley during the early morning hours. The powerful explosions have obliterated a significant portion of the village, with harrowing videos and images of the destruction rapidly circulating on social media, triggering severe backlash from global observers, including numerous human rights organizations.
Many individuals sustained critical injuries, with footage shared by local journalists and human rights advocates revealing the grim sight of bodies, including those of children, amid the debris. The toll is anticipated to escalate further as rescue teams persist in their search for additional victims.
In response, the KP faction of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party expressed deep shock over the tragedy, emphasizing that several bombs were unleashed upon the local populace.
"During the bombing in the Tirah Valley of Khyber, multiple bombs impacted the local community. Five homes have been reduced to rubble, and local sources report that 20 bodies have been retrieved from the debris so far, including women and children among the deceased. Words cannot fully express the sorrow and grief surrounding this incident. Bombings and drone strikes have planted seeds of animosity that, when unleashed, will leave nothing behind," PTI KP stated in a post on X.
Condemning the attacks, Baloch human rights advocate Mir Yar Baloch characterized it as a deliberate assault on innocent lives, labeling it a war crime.
“The international community must not remain silent while Pakistan continues its oppressive campaign against nations under its unlawful occupation. It is crucial that Pakistan be liberated from its colonial rule,” Mir remarked on X.
The activist voiced solidarity with the residents of KP during this tragic time, asserting that the people of Balochistan share in their sorrow and struggle.
“We reaffirm our steadfast support and declare that the sacrifices made by the Pashtun people will not be in vain. The calls for resistance cannot be muffled, and together we will bring Pakistan’s crimes against humanity to light before the global community,” Mir concluded.