September 2025 Tirah airstrike
| September 2025 Tirah airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |
| Type | Airstrike |
| Location | |
| Target | Pakistani Taliban |
| Date | 22 September 2025 |
| Executed by | |
| Outcome | 30 civilians and militants killed |
On 22 September 2025, Pakistani jets dropped LS-6 bombs in Tirah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killing at least 30 Pashtun civilians.[1][2][3][4][5] The Pakistani military did not comment on the strikes dismissing them as "baseless" however the strikes were condemned by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which also announced that Rs10m would be given to families of the victims.[3]
Attack and aftermath
The attack happened around 2 a.m. and destroyed at least five houses.[4] Initially the police had claimed a massive explosion at a Taliban bomb factory had killed at least 10 civilians (including women and children) along with 14 militants, however hours later it was revealed at the provincial assembly that all those that had been killed were civilians and that jets were used in the attack.[6][2] Thousands of people attended funerals of the victims and protested against the government.[6][2]
The attack sparked anger online and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was "deeply shocked to learn about the number of civilians, including children that have been killed".[6][3] Provincial MP Sohail Khan Afridi said that "This assault by the security forces is nothing less than an attack on unarmed civilians".[2]
See also
- 2025 Tirah Valley shooting
- Operation Sarbakaf
- Operation Azm-e-Istehkam
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
References
- ^ "At least 30 killed as Pak fighter jets bomb Khyber Pakhtunkhwa village - CNBC TV18". CNBCTV18. 2025-09-22. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ a b c d "Pakistan: More than 20 killed during raid in border region – DW – 09/22/2025". dw.com. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ a b c Hayat, Dawn com | Umar Bacha | Arif (2025-09-22). "KP govt condemns 'civilian deaths in Tirah operation', announces Rs10m each for victims' families". Dawn. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ a b Rahmati, Fidel (2025-09-22). "Pakistan Airstrike in Khyber District Leaves 20 Dead, Sparks Protests". Khaama Press. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ Azizi, Ahmad (2025-09-22). "Airstrike in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kills 24 civilians, sources say". Amu TV. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ a b c "Explosion at Pakistani Taliban compound kills 24, including civilians". The Washington Post. 2025-09-22. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-09-22.