Over 30 people, including several women and children, were killed on Monday after the Pakistani Air Force dropped eight bombs on a village in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, several media reports have cited.
Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets dropped LS-6 bombs on the Pashtun-majority village of Matre Dara in Tirah valley in the early morning air strikes. The massive blasts have destroyed a large part of the village with videos and images of the attacks and its devastating aftermath going viral on social media, inviting scathing criticism from people, including several human rights organisations, from all over the world.
Several people were critically injured as videos shared by local journalists and human rights activists on social media showed bodies, including those of children, lying amid the wreckage. The casualties are expected to rise further as rescue teams continue to search for more victims.
Meanwhile, the KP branch of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party expressed shock over the incident, stating that several bombs were unleashed on the local population.
"During the jet aircraft bombing in the Tirah Valley of Khyber, several bombs fell on the local population. Five houses of local citizens were destroyed, and according to local sources, 20 bodies have been recovered from the rubble so far, including children and women among the martyrs. I have no words that can encompass this sorrow and grief. Sometimes drones, sometimes bombings have sown so many seeds of hatred that when this lava erupts, nothing will be left," PTI KP said in a post on X.
Condemning the incident, Baloch human rights activist Mir Yar Baloch called it a deliberate targetting of innocent people, describing it as nothing less than a war crime.
“The world must no longer remain silent while Pakistan continues its genocidal campaign against nations under its illegal occupation. Pakistan must be declared a country, liberated from the chains of Pakistani colonial rule,” Mir posted on X.
The human rights activist expressed solidarity with the people of KP in this dark hour on behalf of the people of Balochistan who he said share their grief and struggle.
“We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity and declare that the sacrifices of the Pashtun people will not be in vain. The voices of resistance cannot be silenced, and together we will expose Pakistan’s crimes against humanity before the civilized world,” Mir added.
Gujarat: BJP’s Satish Patel dedicates Manjalpur bypoll victory to late Yogesh Patel
Newly elected Manjalpur MLA Satish Patel on Monday dedicated his victory in the Gujarat Assembly by-election to the late BJP leader and former minister Yogesh Patel, saying he would carry forward the work undertaken by his predecessor after securing a comfortable win in the constituency.
PK wins Bankipur, ends BJP's dominance; Samrat Choudhary congratulates him
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has registered a major victory in the Bankipur Assembly by-election, defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha by a margin of 18,963 votes and breaking the BJP’s long-standing dominance over the constituency.
ANDPL to rejuvenate 40,000 trees within Dharavi, build 3.3-km Mithi River riverfront
In a bid to give residents better access to green public spaces, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) will place the rejuvenation of the Mithi River at the centre of a new green-blue network — designed to improve the environment and create healthier spaces across one of Mumbai’s most densely-populated neighbourhoods, it was announced on Monday.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat to interact with Gen Z in Mumbai on Aug 6
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to interact with representatives of Generation Z and Generation Alpha on August 6 in Mumbai.
Two women among eight militants arrested in Manipur, arms and drugs seized
Eight militants, including two women cadres, belonging to different banned insurgent outfits were arrested and arms, ammunition and other incriminating materials recovered in separate joint security force operations across Manipur during the past 24 hours, officials said on Monday.
Tribal Welfare Minister orders probe into alleged irregularities at Ambedkar Girls' Hostel
Minister for Tribal Welfare, Bikash Debbarma, on Monday ordered a detailed inquiry into allegations of irregularities in the supply of food items at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Memorial Girls' Hostel located on Jagannath Bari Road in Agartala.
Assam villages devastated by flood might have to be rebuilt: Sarma
Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Monday indicated that the state government may have to rebuild entire villages devastated by the recent floods in Upper Assam, saying the scale of destruction in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts has gone far beyond what can be addressed through immediate relief measures.
Pakistan: Death toll in Swat police station suicide attack rises to 17
The death toll from the suicide bombing at Kabal Police Station in Swat district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has risen to 17 after two more injured police personnel succumbed to their injuries, local media reported on Monday.