Tens of residents of the Kandahar province of Afghanistan staged protests on Monday against the Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil.
On April 16 the Pakistani military carried out airstrikes on the Spiri area of Khost province and also targeted the Shiltan district of Kunar province with shelling.
Previously residents of southeastern Khost and eastern Nangarhar provinces held rallies to protest the attacks.
Afghan diplomatic missions run by former government officials in a joint statement condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan soil and asked the UN Security Council to take action against Pakistan.
“Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghanistan are obvious acts of aggression and a crime against humanity—in which civilian and innocent people were targeted. It underestimates the Taliban as well,” said Noorullah Raghi, a former diplomat.
However, the Taliban government said that the issue will be pursued through diplomatic channels. “We will defend our soil and will not allow such actions to happen again, and we should find a diplomatic solution to this,” said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.
However, Mujahid while speaking to the BBC also warned Pakistan to refrain from such actions in the future. He said, “If we can fight the war with America, we can also stand against Pakistan.”
The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Pakistan territory is being attacked by “terrorists” harbored along the Durand Line. Whereas, the Taliban denied saying that Afghan soil is not being used against any country.