Key Facts
- Date & Location: September 21, 2025, ~2 AM | Matre Dara village, Tirah Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Casualties: At least 30 civilians killed, including women and children
- Weapons Used: 8 Chinese-made LS-6 precision-guided bombs dropped by Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets
- Damage: Five houses destroyed, dozens injured, ongoing rescue operations
- Victims: All confirmed casualties were civilians; no militant deaths reported
Local eyewitnesses described horrific scenes of “bodies lying across rubble-strewn streets” as survivors dug through collapsed homes with their bare hands.
Background and Reasons
The strikes were reportedly part of Pakistan’s Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts. Officials claimed militants were using civilian settlements to store explosives, though no TTP presence was confirmed at the site.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan, has faced rising TTP violence since 2021 after the Taliban’s return in Kabul. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering TTP fighters, while Kabul denies the charges.
Official & Political Responses
- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI): Condemned the bombing, warning that such actions “sow seeds of hatred.”
- Provincial Lawmaker Abdul Ghani Afridi: Called the strike “a crime against humanity.”
- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP): Demanded an impartial inquiry, accusing the state of failing to protect civilian lives.
- Pakistani Military: No official confirmation; some reports suggest authorities denied conducting airstrikes, blaming the explosions on terrorist munitions.
Expert & Human Rights Reactions
- Analysts criticized the use of precision bombs on villages, calling it proof of intent rather than collateral damage.
- Rights groups have long warned of Pakistan’s systemic targeting of Pashtun populations.
- The Akakhel tribe of Tirah has announced protests, placing the bodies of men and children in front of a Pakistan Army Corps Commander’s residence.
Amnesty International earlier condemned Pakistan’s “alarming disregard for civilian life” after June 2025 drone strikes killed children.
Immediate Impact
- Outrage among Pashtun communities already angered by rising violence.
- Large-scale protests last week in Mingora demanded peace and accountability.
- Questions raised over the quality of intelligence behind the strikes.
Geopolitical Context
- The border region has become increasingly unstable, with a 2024 UN report estimating 6,000–6,500 TTP fighters in Afghanistan armed with NATO weapons left after the U.S. withdrawal.
- Pakistan has accused India of backing TTP—claims New Delhi denies.
- In December 2024, Pakistan conducted cross-border airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, killing 46.
- China’s Role: Supplier of JF-17 jets and LS-6 bombs used in the attack. With major BRI investments, Beijing has urged Islamabad to reduce security risks.
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