New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Highlighting the ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation with Afghanistan, India on Friday expressed commitment to supporting Kabul through aid and development projects.
“We had strongly condemned the airstrikes that happened from Pakistan into Afghanistan, in which several civilian lives, including women and children were lost. We had offered our condolences on the passing away of precious lives and we had also at the same time reiterated our strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
“As far as in terms of support with Afghanistan, we have an ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation. We have been sending them medicines. We have been sending them other support and we have also been offering development projects which can bring benefit to the lives of people there and that continues,” he added.
On June 29, Taliban Deputy Spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said that least 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed, while 163 others were injured in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces.
Citing reports, Fitrat said the attacks carried out on Sunday night in the Gayan district of Paktika, Tsamkani district of Paktia and Manogai district of Kunar by Pakistani forces resulted in the death of 36 civilians and injuries to 163 others, as well as complete destruction of three residential houses.
According to Fitrat, Pakistani forces’ jets bombed a civilian residence in Mandokhail village of Tsamkani district, killing one elderly man and a child and injuring several members of the family. He alleged that when local residents gathered to conduct rescue operations, the area was bombed for a second time, killing 28 villagers and injuring 158 others.
Fitrat further said that in the Walust village of the Gayan district, another civilian residence was bombed, killing six individuals, the majority of whom were women and children. Additionally, in the Barolo village of the Manogai district, he said that the airstrike hit a civilian residence, resulting in significant property damage.
Notably, India has been providing humanitarian support to Afghanistan, including through the supply of essential medicines and other aid.
On June 17, India delivered another five tonnes of essential medicines to Kabul, reflecting its long-standing commitment to the welfare and well-being of the Afghan people.
On May 22, India delivered 20 tonnes of Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) and Tetanus, Diphtheria (Td) vaccines to Kabul to boost immunisation efforts among Afghan children.
–IANS
akl/as