Pakistan says its jets struck suspected militant hideouts in eastern Afghanistan early Monday, claiming 28 militants were killed. Kabul disputed that figure, reporting three civilians killed and four wounded in Nurgal (Kunar) and Barmal (Paktika) districts. The strikes follow deadly attacks inside Pakistan — including a major assault in Kohat — and raise the prospect of further cross‑border escalation that could complicate regional mediation efforts.
Pakistan Says Jets Hit Militant Hideouts In Afghanistan — Islamabad Claims 28 Killed; Kabul Reports 3 Civilians Dead
This is a locator map for Afghanistan with its capital, Kabul. (AP Photo)
Pakistani jet fighters carried out airstrikes Monday on suspected militant positions inside eastern Afghanistan, Islamabad said, claiming 28 militants were killed. Afghan authorities disputed that account, saying at least three civilians died and four others were wounded in strikes near the porous frontier.
What Happened
Pakistani officials said the strikes targeted militant hideouts close to the border and followed recent deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces. Afghan deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the raids occurred around 3 a.m. in Nurgal district of Kunar province and Barmal district of Paktika province.
Casualty Dispute
Two Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that 28 suspected militants were killed. Afghanistan’s government, however, said three civilians were killed when a house was destroyed in Pathan village in Nurgal and four relatives were wounded. Officials on both sides said the claims could not be independently verified.
Reactions
In a post on X, Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban government, condemned the strikes and warned of a response. He described the raids as "aggression and oppression" and accused Pakistani military circles of using such actions to distract from domestic security failures.
Zabiullah Mujahid: "We condemn this aggression and oppression, regarding it as a repetition of such crimes."
Pakistan’s Information Ministry earlier warned that the country could strike militant sanctuaries inside Afghanistan after a string of deadly attacks on its security forces. The ministry blamed a major assault in Kohat and a clash in Hangu on militants it says operate from bases in Afghanistan, and called on Kabul to take "credible, verifiable and sustained measures" to dismantle those networks.
Context And Risks
The strikes mark a renewed escalation along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier and risk complicating regional diplomatic efforts, including mediation attempts by China. Cross‑border fighting has intensified since February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes after previous Pakistani raids, and hundreds have been killed in exchanges of fire since then.
No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the recent attacks inside Pakistan, though Pakistani authorities suspect the Tehrik‑e‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant network separate from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration in Kabul of sheltering TTP leaders; Kabul denies those allegations.
The competing casualty reports and threats of retaliation underscore the fragile security situation along the frontier and the potential for localized violence to escalate into broader confrontation.
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