Kabul, Feb 23 : The Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan during the February 21-22 night hit a Mosque and a Madrassa, killing civilians, including children, a UN body said today, confirming the assertion of the Taliban regime which said even the copies of Holy Quran were burnt due to the “barbaric” attacks.
The government of Afghanistan said “the Pakistani military regime demonstrated that it is hostile not only to the lives of Afghans, but also to Afghans’ religion, education, educational centers and cultural institutions.”
Pakistan’s military regime “openly violated all Islamic and human principles” as it “brutally attacked the Farooqi Madrassa in the Margha village of Barmal district of Paktika and Gardi Street of Nangarhar Behsud district near the Durand Line,” said the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan.
The spokesperson of the Ministry said that the attacks resulted in killing of 8 students of Farooqui Madrassa — 5 boys and 3 girls — and injury to one.
Dozens of other innocent Afghans, including children and women, were killed or injured in these attacks, he said.
The Madrassa was destroyed and copies of the Holy Quran and religious books were burnt in the air raids by the Pakistani military regime, the spokesperson said.
“These unforgivable barbaric actions show that Pakistan’s military regime is hostile not only to the lives of Afghans, but also to Afghans’ religion, education, educational centers and cultural institutions,” he added.
Meanwhile, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) issued a statement, saying it has received “credible reports of civilian casualties as a result of the overnight airstrikes carried out by Pakistan inside Afghanistan late on 21 February and into the early hours of 22 February.”
It said: “On 21 February, at approximately 22.45 to 00.15 on 22 February, Pakistani military forces conducted airstrikes in Behsud and Khogyani districts in Nangarhar Province. Preliminary civilian casualty figures indicate at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured, including women and children.”
It added that Pakistani military forces also conducted airstrikes in Barmal and Urgun districts of Paktika Province of Afghanistan.
“In the first reported incident, on 21 February, at approximately 12:15, in Barmal district, Marghai area, an airstrike impacted a madrassa, and partially damaged a nearby mosque.
“In the second reported incident, at approximately 23:30 in Urgun district, Dahna area, an airstrike impacted and partially destroyed a vacant private residential house. No civilian casualties have been reported so far,” UNAMA said.
In an obvious message to Pakistan, the UN body said it “reminds all parties of their obligations under international law to comply with the key principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution to prevent civilian casualties.”
