PESHAWAR, Sept 23 – At least 24 people, including women and children, were killed in a series of explosions in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, sparking demands for an independent investigation into the tragedy.
Local police initially claimed that bomb-making material stored at a Pakistan Taliban (TTP) compound detonated, killing 14 fighters, including two commanders, along with at least 10 civilians.
But several opposition lawmakers accused the Pakistani military of conducting air raids overnight as part of its ongoing counterterrorism operations against the TTP in Khyber, Bajaur, and nearby border areas.
Iqbal Afridi, an opposition MP, and Sohail Khan Afridi, another lawmaker, alleged that airstrikes by the military caused the deaths, calling it an “attack on unarmed civilians.”
Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati condemned the incident on X, saying the “bombardment by jet aircraft” destroyed homes and would have serious consequences for the country’s future.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded an impartial inquiry, stressing that the state has “repeatedly failed” to protect civilians’ right to life.
The federal government and military have yet to issue an official statement.