India condemns Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan, warns of regional security risks

New Delhi: India on Tuesday strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan in parts of Afghanistan and said "such instances of aggression" against a sovereign neighbour is something that vitiates regional peace and security.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this in response to a query during his bi-weekly media briefing.

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"We strongly condemn the attacks from Pakistan, the airstrikes which were launched on Afghanistan in their Kunar and Paktika provinces. In these airstrikes, several civilians have been killed," he said.

"Such instances of aggression against a sovereign neighbour is something that goes against regional peace and security, it vitiates the regional peace and security, and it is yet again another occasion of aggression from the Pakistani side," the MEA spokesperson said.

He also offered condolences on the "precious lives lost", adding India also hopes that those who have been injured in this attack, would recover well and recover soon.

"We also reaffirm our support, a strong support, steadfast support for Afghanistan, for their independence, for their sovereignty, for their territorial integrity as also for the welfare and well-being of their people," Jaiswal said.

Pakistan on Monday said its security forces carried out airstrikes on terrorist camps and hideouts in the border region with Afghanistan, killing 28 terrorists, including multiple suicide bombers.

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Afghanistan, however, denies allowing its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.

The Afghan Taliban government on Monday said Pakistani airstrikes in its eastern provinces of Kunar and Paktika killed three civilians and wounded four others.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strikes and said Afghanistan would give an "appropriate response" to what he described as aggression.

The latest strikes mark a fresh escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have been strained for a while over Islamabad's allegations that militant groups use Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan - an allegation rejected by the Afghan Taliban government.