Afghan rep to UN: 40 killed in Pakistani airstrikes

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan’s special representative to the United Nation says 40 people, including women and children, have been killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Khost and Kunar province.

Pakistani security forces have carried out airstrike on Waziristan refugees in Sperai district of southeastern Khost province and in the Shaltan district of eastern Kunar province, inflicting casualties on people.

In a statement, the Afghan representative to the UN denounced the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, international principles and norms.

It alleged Pakistan had been shelling the eastern provinces of Afghanistan for the past several years and inflicting casualties on hundreds of Afghan civilians.

The statement said the killing of civilians was unacceptable under all circumstances.

Afghanistan had been a victim of terrorism over the past 20 years, he said, calling on Pakistan to stop such attacks and respect the sovereignty of its neighbour.

However, the office of the previous government’s representative at the UN is still active.

sa/mud