ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s air force has launched retaliatory air strikes named as “Marg Bar Sarmachar”, on Iran, allegedly targeting fighters’ positions.
Iranian state media says the attack killed at least nine people. as Pakistani armed forces said the strikes carried out in Iran on Thursday morning targeted “hideouts used by terrorist organisations namely Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front”.
The attack came less than 48 hours after Iranian air strikes in Pakistan on Tuesday.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires (the highest diplomatic position in the absence of an ambassador) in Tehran to “offer explanations” for the attacks.
Anwaarul Haq Kakar, The caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistanm who was in Davs to take part in World Economic Forum has cut short his visit and will return to the country later today.
Meanwhile, The European Union (EU) has stated that it is deeply worried about the “spiral of violence in the Middle East and beyond” after Pakistan and Iran targeted each other’s territory over the last two days.
“These attacks, including in Pakistan, in Iraq and Iran now are of utmost concern for the European Union because they violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, and they have also a destabilizing effect on the region,” EU spokesman Peter Stano said.
Russia has also said Pakistan and Iran must de-escalate tensions and pursue diplomacy after the retaliatory strikes in Iran on Thursday.
“We are watching with concern the escalation of the situation in the Iran-Pakistan border area that has been growing in recent days. We call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to resolve emerging issues exclusively through political and diplomatic means,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Read more: “Marg Bar Sarmachar”: Pakistan conducts military strikes against terrorist hide-outs inside Iran
