Pakistan Airstrike Kills Three Afghan Cricketers Amid Ceasefire; Afghanistan Withdraws from T20 Tri-Series
Pakistan air strike in Afghanistan: 3 Afghan Cricketers Among 8 Dead: Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban escalated further as Pakistan launched airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Paktika province, just hours after both nations agreed to extend a 48-hour ceasefire. The strikes reportedly hit residential areas in Urgun and Barmal districts, causing numerous civilian casualties — including the deaths of three Afghan cricketers.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the deaths of players Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, who had returned to Urgun after playing a friendly cricket match in Sharana, the provincial capital. The ACB expressed deep sorrow, calling the attack “cowardly” and a “great loss to the Afghan sporting community.”
In a statement posted on X, the board said:
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun district of Paktika province, who were targeted in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime this evening.”
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Following the incident, the ACB announced its withdrawal from the upcoming T20 International triangular series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled for late November.
The airstrikes mark a serious breach of the ceasefire agreement signed just days ago after heavy cross-border clashes. According to reports from Tolo News, several civilians were killed and injured, with at least eight dead and seven injured in the Urgun district alone.
This incident is likely to worsen already fragile relations between the two neighbours, with rising concerns over continued violations of sovereignty and civilian safety.
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