TIRAH: At least 30 people, including women and children, were killed in airstrikes carried out by the Pakistan Air Force in Tirah Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Monday, multiple reports said.
Local media reported that the strikes occurred around 2 a.m., when JF-17 fighter jets dropped eight LS-6 bombs on Matre Dara, a Pashtun-majority village.
In a video statement, Iqbal Afridi, a Member of the National Assembly from the district, accused the Pakistani Air Force of targeting Matre Dara, resulting in civilian deaths. Neither provincial authorities nor the federal government have issued statements confirming the strikes or explaining the rationale.
Reports indicate that while the military intended to target Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts, all reported victims were civilians. Several others were injured, though details of their condition remain unclear.
The bombs hit densely populated areas while families were asleep, leaving residents defenseless. By morning, eyewitnesses described Matre Dara as “littered with bodies,” with homes destroyed and livestock killed.
The incident comes amid ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On Sunday, the Pakistan Army reported killing seven TTP militants in Dera Ismail Khan district, and earlier this month, 31 militants were reportedly killed in separate clashes.
According to local police data, the province recorded 605 terror-related incidents from January to August this year, resulting in at least 138 civilian deaths and 79 police fatalities. August alone saw 129 incidents, including six security personnel deaths.
PTI reports suggest that groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen are increasingly moving deeper into the province, taking advantage of its rugged terrain and proximity to Afghanistan.
