At least 30 civilians killed in Pakistan Air Force strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least 30 people, including women and children, were killed on Monday when the Pakistan Air Force reportedly dropped eight bombs on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Reports stated that LS-6 bombs were released from JF-17 fighter jets over the Pashtun-majority Matre Dara village at around 2 am, resulting in widespread destruction of the village.

Several people were reportedly injured in the blasts, though official confirmation of casualties is still awaited. Local media noted that the airstrikes were aimed at Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts, and all the victims killed were civilians.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently witnessed multiple military actions targeting terrorists hiding in the mountainous province along the Afghan border. On Sunday, the Pakistani army reported that seven TTP members were killed during an intelligence-led operation in the Dera Ismail Khan district. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), three of the deceased were Afghan nationals, and two were suicide bombers.

Earlier, on September 13-14, at least 31 TTP militants were killed in two separate engagements across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The province has seen a rise in terrorist activities, particularly in areas bordering Afghanistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had emphasized last week that Afghanistan must decide whether to side with terrorists or stand with Pakistan.

Disturbing images and videos from the site of Monday’s airstrike show bodies, including those of children, scattered across the village. Rescue teams are engaged in recovering victims from the rubble, raising concerns that the death toll may rise further.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has a history of counter-terrorism operations that have often resulted in civilian casualties. Earlier this year in June, Amnesty International highlighted the repeated drone strikes in the region as a severe disregard for civilian life.

"Pakistani authorities have failed to take action to protect the lives and property of civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who continue to pay the price of an escalating number of drone strikes in the province. Last Friday's drone strike, killing one child, is part of an alarming series of attacks which have escalated since March of this year," Isabelle Lassee, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said.