30 killed in Pakistan airstrike on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa village amid anti-TTP operations

At least 30 people, mostly civilians including women and children, have been killed in a reported airstrike by the Pakistan Air Force on a remote village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tirah Valley, according to local sources and media reports. The incident occurred around 0200 local time on 22 September when fighter jets allegedly dropped eight precision-guided bombs on Matre Dara in the Akakhel area, a region known for militant activity linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). 

Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation, with entire homes reduced to rubble and families wiped out, prompting accusations of indiscriminate bombing. The Pakistani military, however, has denied conducting an airstrike, attributing the explosions to a militant ammunition dump detonating during a ground operation against terrorists. This conflicting narrative has intensified scrutiny on Pakistan's counter-insurgency tactics in the volatile border region, where civilian casualties have long been a flashpoint. 

As international observers call for transparency, the event underscores the human cost of Islamabad's ongoing campaign against the TTP, which has escalated since the Taliban's 2021 takeover in Afghanistan.

The airstrike

Residents of Matre Dara recounted a harrowing night as Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder jets, co-produced with China, flew overhead and unleashed eight LS-6 smart bombs on the village. The strikes targeted suspected TTP hideouts, but local accounts suggest they hit civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 people, with several more injured and fears that the toll could rise as rescue efforts continue amid debris. 

Graphic videos circulating on social media show flattened structures and villagers digging through rubble, with one clip depicting the aftermath of what appears to be a direct hit on a residential compound. A local politician, MNA Iqbal Afridi from the Akakhel area, condemned the action as "state-sponsored brutality," claiming 25 children were among the dead and accusing the military of crossing "all limits of oppression."

The Pakistani military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing issued a statement denying any aerial involvement, insisting that ground forces were engaged in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) against TTP militants when an ammunition storage facility exploded. The ISPR claimed the blasts were triggered by militant explosives, killing several insurgents and civilians allegedly used as "human shields" by the TTP. This version contrasts sharply with eyewitness testimonies gathered by journalists, who reported hearing jet engines and seeing bomb impacts before the explosions. 

Independent verification remains challenging due to restricted access in the rugged Tirah Valley, a TTP stronghold near the Afghan border, where operations have intensified under the Azm-e-Istehkam campaign launched in June.

The valley, part of the Khyber district in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), has seen frequent clashes since the TTP's resurgence, with over 200 security personnel killed in ambushes this year alone. Locals, predominantly Pashtun tribespeople, have long complained of collateral damage from such operations, fuelling resentment and accusations of a "silent genocide." 

On social media platform X, videos and posts from the scene showed distraught villagers mourning, with hashtags like #TirahGenocide trending as users demanded international intervention.

Military denial and official statements

The Pakistan Army's swift denial has raised questions about accountability. In an exclusive to News18, military sources reiterated that no airstrike occurred, describing the incident as a "successful IBO" where TTP fighters were neutralised, and civilian deaths resulted from militants' use of populated areas as cover. "Terrorists are using civilians as human shields," an official said, echoing a standard narrative in Pakistan's counter-terrorism discourse. However, this claim has been contested by independent analysts, who point to a pattern of aerial operations in the region, including similar strikes in 2024 that killed dozens.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen condemned the attack as "state terrorism," calling for an independent probe and highlighting the lack of media access. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, expressed concern and ordered a provincial inquiry amid political tensions with the federal government. Federal officials in Islamabad have remained tight-lipped, with no comment from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office as of midday on 22 September.

Eyewitness accounts, local impact

Survivors and relatives provided chilling details to reporters. One villager, speaking anonymously to Hindustan Times, described hearing "thunderous roars" before bombs rained down, destroying five homes and killing entire families. "It was like doomsday," he said, noting that the area had no prior militant presence that night. A local journalist from the Tirah Valley Press Club reported seeing craters consistent with aerial bombardment, contradicting the army's narrative of an explosion. The strikes have displaced dozens, with families fleeing to nearby camps amid fears of follow-up operations.

The incident has exacerbated humanitarian concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where over 1.5 million people remain displaced from past conflicts. Aid groups like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have called for restraint and protection of civilians, urging compliance with international humanitarian law. On X, PTI MNA Aamir Mughal questioned why international media outlets like The New York Times and Reuters remained silent, tagging them in posts accompanied by graphic images.

Reactions

Indian BJP leader Amit Malviya seized on the reports to criticise Pakistan's handling of its Pashtun population, tweeting that it exposed Islamabad's "Islamophobia" and questioning Congress's stance on ties with Pakistan. In Pakistan, opposition figures like PTI's Imran Khan condemned the "massacre," demanding a judicial inquiry and accusing the military of targeting innocents to suppress dissent. Analysts at the Institute for Strategic Studies in Islamabad warn that such incidents erode public trust in the military, potentially bolstering recruitment by the TTP.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged an independent investigation, citing a pattern of unaccounted civilian deaths in anti-TTP operations. Afghan Taliban spokesmen expressed solidarity with the victims, accusing Pakistan of cross-border aggression, though the strikes were domestic.

Implications for Pakistan's security

This event highlights the challenges of Pakistan's fight against the TTP, which has launched over 400 attacks this year, killing hundreds. The Azm-e-Istehkam operation, approved in June, has involved increased aerial and ground assaults, but civilian casualties risk alienating the Pashtun community, which constitutes 15% of Pakistan's population. Experts fear it could escalate cross-border tensions with Afghanistan, where TTP safe havens persist.

The incident could strain civil-military relations under the Sharif government. With no independent probe announced, the truth may remain obscured, perpetuating cycles of violence in this troubled frontier.