Pakistan military targets TTP hideouts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Tirah Valley; children among 30, mostly civilians, dead

PTC Web Desk: At least 30 civilians, among them women and children, lost their lives in airstrikes carried out by the Pakistani Air Force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley early Monday morning.

The assault reportedly occurred around 2 am, when fighter jets dropped eight LS-6 bombs on Matre Dara village, resulting in mass casualties. Disturbing visuals from the site showed bodies of civilians, including children, lying amid the debris. Rescue teams continued to pull victims from the rubble, with fears that the death toll may climb further.

Local media said several people were also injured in the strikes, though their conditions remain uncertain.

Civilian deaths are not uncommon in the province, which has witnessed repeated counter-terrorism operations. Earlier this year, Amnesty International condemned the growing number of drone strikes in the region, saying they demonstrate Pakistan’s disregard for civilian life. “Pakistani authorities have failed to protect the lives and property of people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who continue to suffer from escalating drone attacks,” Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said in June.

Police data highlights the volatile situation: between January and August this year, 605 terror-related incidents were recorded in the province, claiming the lives of at least 138 civilians and 79 police personnel. In August alone, 129 incidents were reported, including attacks that killed six soldiers and members of the paramilitary Federal Constabulary.

The strikes come in the wake of Operation Sindoor, which targeted and destroyed nine major terrorist hideouts across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Following the crackdown, groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are reportedly regrouping in the rugged terrain of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly near the Afghan border. The region’s mountains, long used as sanctuaries since the anti-Soviet war of the 1980s and the post-9/11 US invasion of Afghanistan, continue to provide cover for militant activity.