Pakistan police and security sources said aerial bombing in a remote border region killed at least 23 civilians on Monday in an area where militancy has been rising.
An opposition MP accused the military of carrying out the night raid as part of a counter-terrorism operation, but no official statement has been released by the government or armed forces.
Pakistani Taliban militants have in recent months stepped up a campaign of violence against security forces聽in the mountainous areas that border Afghanistan.
鈥業t was the security force鈥檚 aircraft that carried out the shelling. It鈥檚 their shelling that killed 23 people,鈥� Iqbal Afridi, an opposition member of the National Assembly for Khyber Tribal district where the raid happened, said.
A senior police officer stationed in the town of Tirah said that seven women and four children were among the 23 dead, without saying who carried out at the assault.
鈥楾he jets targeted four houses, which were completely destroyed,鈥� he said.
鈥楾irah is near the Pakistan-Afghan border and is home to multiple TTP hideouts. In recent months, there have been several attacks on security forces in this area.鈥�
A security officer based in Peshawar, who confirmed the death toll, said there are 鈥榙ozens of TTP hideouts鈥� in the area where militants reside with their families.
On Monday afternoon, around 2,000 people gathered in a nearby town to protest against the deadly raid.
