KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that three young Afghan cricketers were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika province on Friday night.
In a statement on Saturday, the ICC said that the players, identified as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were returning home from a friendly match when the strikes occurred.
The ICC expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, describing the three as “promising talents” whose only ambition was to play cricket. The council condemned the “act of violence,” noting that it also claimed the lives of several civilians.
“The ICC stands in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and echoes their grief,” the council added.
The airstrikes targeted the Barmal and Urgun districts of Paktika. The Taliban said residential homes were hit, causing civilian casualties. Al Jazeera reported at least 10 people were killed and eight others injured in the attacks.
Pakistani officials provided a different account. Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, said the “precision strikes” hit a camp of the TTP-affiliated Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, killing around 60-70 militants. In a post on X, Tarar rejected reports of civilian casualties, saying such claims aim to “generate support for terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.”
The airstrikes are part of a series of recent Pakistani operations inside Afghanistan, including two in Kabul over the past week. Taliban fighters and Pakistani forces have also clashed multiple times along the border, leaving dozens dead or injured on both sides.
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing in Doha, Qatar, where Pakistani and Taliban delegations, led by their defense ministers and intelligence chiefs, are trying to resolve the tensions. Pakistani media reports that Islamabad is seeking a written assurance from the Taliban to curb the TTP and affiliated groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban have repeatedly denied these claims, insisting that the TTP is based in Pakistan and that its activities are Pakistan’s internal matter.
