New Delhi: In a rare admission, Pakistani authorities said that 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed during an anti-militant operation in the country’s northwest region.
According to media reports, the operation took place in the early hours of Saturday in Katlang, a remote hilltop area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Authorities have promised to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Provincial government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said that the targeted location was suspected to be a “hideout and transit point for terrorist elements.”
However, he acknowledged that unarmed civilians were present in the area during the operation.
According to locals, the victims, believed to be nomadic herders from the Swat region, were found dead near the site.
Grieving families staged a protest by placing the bodies on the Swat highway.
Condemning the deaths, the government spokesperson referred to them as an “unintended consequence” of targeting militants.
“The safety of civilians is always a top priority during such operations. However, due to complex geography, terrorists using civilian populations as cover, and the urgent nature of the operation, unintended consequences can sometimes occur,” Saif stated.
Asserting that the operation had successfully neutralised several high-value militant targets, the provincial government also acknowledged the risks of conflict, stating that “the fog of war can sometimes lead to unintended consequences.”
