The village where the airstrike occurred. Photo: X page videograb
At least 30 people, including women and children, died after the Pakistan Air Force carried out airstrikes on Matre Dara village in the Tirah Valley of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.
“Entire families have been wiped out. Most of the victims are women and children who had no chance of escaping,” a source told The Tribune news paper.
According to reports, the airstrikes began at 2 am.
The Pakistan Air Force's JF-17 fighter jets reportedly launched a barrage of at least eight Chinese-origin LS-6 precision-guided bombs on the remote settlement.
Witnesses told the newspaper that the airstrikes left a scene of devastation in the village.
Several unconfirmed videos of the devastated village are currently going viral online.
In Tirah Valley, Pakistani jet bombardments claimed the lives of innocent civilians,mostly women and children, Despite official claims of militant casualties, the ground reality is a ruthless massacre of ordinary people… pic.twitter.com/sqbOSO5ILz
— Bilal Khan Afridi (@TirahWalMama) September 22, 2025
Human Rights Activist Bilal Khan Afridi wrote on X: "In Tirah Valley, Pakistani jet bombardments claimed the lives of innocent civilians,mostly women and children, Despite official claims of militant casualties, the ground reality is a ruthless massacre of ordinary people."
The Pakistani Army has denied its involvement in the incident.
The Pakistan Army blamed the carnage on a terrorist munitions accident.
In an official statement, military spokespersons claimed that “a large cache of explosives hidden by Khawarij terrorists" detonated inside a house in Metra Dara, collapsing several surrounding homes and causing civilian casualties, reported News18.