ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Air Force launched an airstrike in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, killing at least 30 people, including women and children, local media reported.
Officials said eight LS-6 bombs were dropped during the operation in Matay Dara village in the Tirah Valley, a region known as a stronghold of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group.
All those killed were civilians, with several others injured, though the exact number of casualties has yet to be confirmed.
Amnesty International, the London-based human rights organization, released photos and video footage showing rescue workers pulling the dead and injured from the rubble of destroyed homes. The group warned that the death toll could rise further.
TTP activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has surged since the Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021. The group has carried out hundreds of attacks targeting police, military, and civilians in the province.
According to police data, 605 terrorist incidents occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between January and August 2025, leaving at least 138 civilians and 79 police officers dead, with hundreds more injured. In August alone, 129 attacks were reported.
“Pakistan’s performance is disappointing in both eradicating terrorism and ensuring the safety of its citizens,” said Isabelle Lassy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia.
