Afghanistan team pays tribute to victims of Paktika airstrike before Zimbabwe Test

HARARE(Zimbabwe): The Afghanistan cricket team paid tribute to the victims of the tragic airstrike in Paktika province, which claimed the lives of several local citizens, including three cricketers, in an attack “carried out by the Pakistani regime,” ahead of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe.

During the practice session before the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, scheduled to begin on Monday in Harare, the Afghanistan team gathered together to express their deepest condolences and solidarity with the families and all the people who have been affected by the tragic airstrike.

“AfghanAtalan, during their practice session ahead of the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe, gathered together to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic attack in Paktika province and expressed their deepest condolences and solidarity with the bereaved families and all Afghans affected by this heartbreaking incident. Last night, several local citizens, including three cricketers, were martyred, and many others were injured in a tragic airstrike carried out by the Pakistani regime,” Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) wrote on X.

Recently, the Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed that the players, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were among eight people killed in the airstrike in the Urgun district. In response to the terror attack, Afghanistan announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan, scheduled to commence on November 5.

ACB revealed that the players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to participate in a friendly cricket match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering. In its statement, the Afghanistan board described the attack as “a cowardly act carried out by the Pakistani regime.”

The attacks reportedly ceased after both nations agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire agreement following days of intense cross-border clashes, as negotiations aimed at easing tensions and preventing cross-border violence from taking place were underway in Doha.

However, the ceasefire agreement was breached after at least six people, including two children, were killed and seven others wounded in a series of airstrikes conducted by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktika province, according to Tolo News. The airstrikes reportedly targeted residential areas in the Argun and Barmal districts of the country, causing significant civilian casualties.

Afghanistan’s premier spinner, Rashid Khan, called the attack “barbaric” and wrote on X, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. A tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage.”

“It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed. In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time, our national dignity must come before all else,” he added. (ANI)