Pakistan has admitted killing 10 civilians in an operation against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Katlang district, promising an investigation into the incident. Provincial spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif said the targeted place was suspected to be a terrorists’ hideout, but innocent civilians were there as well.
Locals alleged that the victims, including children and women from Swat, were nomads grazing livestock in the Shamozai mountains. In protest, their families put the bodies along the Swat Highway. Saif termed the deaths of civilians as an “unintended consequence” and showed remorse for the loss of innocent lives.
Officials cited that the operation effectively killed prominent militants but conceded that “the fog of war can sometimes lead to unintended consequences.” Saif stressed that civilian safety is paramount but that difficult terrain and the need for haste can lead to accidents.
