Pakistan Airstrike in Kabul Kills Family, Injures Dozens
A reported Pakistani airstrike struck a residential area in eastern Kabul late at night, killing four members of a family and injuring more than 30 people, according to local residents and community leaders, according to TOLOnews.
The strike took place around midnight in District 21 of Pul-e-Charkhi, a neighborhood on the eastern edge of Afghanistan’s capital. Residents say Pakistani fighter jets were heard flying overhead moments before a house was destroyed in a powerful explosion.
According to Abdul Rahim, a local elder in the area, the home belonged to a family who were sleeping when the strike occurred.
“This was their house, and now nothing remains but dust and bricks,” Rahim said while standing near the wreckage the following morning. “Unfortunately, the four people who were inside have all been killed.”
The victims included two men and two women from the same family. Their bodies were later transported to Afghanistan’s Parwan province for burial.
The attack also caused heavy damage throughout Hanzala Abad village, where nearby homes were badly affected by the blast. Early reports indicate that at least 16 houses were damaged or destroyed.
Feraidun, a resident of the neighborhood, said the strike happened within seconds of hearing aircraft overhead.
“We heard the roar of the fighter jet,” he said. “Just three or four seconds later everything disappeared in fire, smoke, and dust. My children were terrified. They couldn’t even speak because of the fear and the smoke.”
Feraidun said four members of his own family were injured in the explosion.
Moments after the first blast, residents say a nearby workshop was also hit. Noor Rahman, the manager of the workshop, said the second strike caused significant damage to businesses in the area.
“More than 30 shops and over 10 vehicles were destroyed,” Rahman said. “These vehicles belonged to ordinary people, and now they are gone. Three mechanics working here were also injured.”
By morning, families gathered among the broken walls and scattered debris, searching through the ruins of their homes and businesses.
Officials in Pakistan have not yet issued a statement explaining the purpose of the strike. Local residents fear the incident may be connected to rising tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
For many people in Pul-e-Charkhi, the quiet Kabul night turned into a moment of loss that will not soon be forgotten.
