Pakistan carried out recent air strikes on Afghan territory that the Taliban say killed nine civilians and wounded 11, while Pakistan maintains the operation targeted militant camps and killed 22 fighters. The strikes reportedly hit homes in Kunar and Helmand provinces, drawing Taliban condemnation. The incident follows months of rising tensions, a fragile China-mediated ceasefire in March, and recent attacks that have strained relations between the neighbours.
Pakistan Air Strikes in Afghanistan: Taliban Reports Civilian Deaths, Islamabad Says Militants Killed
The Afghan Taliban says nine civilians have died while Pakistan says the strikes killed 22 militants [Reuters]
Pakistan launched a series of air strikes inside Afghanistan in a recent operation that the Afghan Taliban government says killed nine civilians and wounded 11 people. Pakistan's information ministry confirmed the strikes but said the raids targeted militant positions and killed 22 fighters.
The Afghan Taliban's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the strikes hit homes in the Kunar and Helmand provinces along the Pakistan border and that women and children were among the dead. "We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles," he wrote on X.
Zabihullah Mujahid (Afghan Taliban): "We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles."
Pakistan offered a different account, describing the raids as a "well-planned and calibrated" attack on what it called "terrorist camps" where large quantities of weapons and ammunition were stored. The information ministry said maximum precautions were taken to avoid collateral damage.
Context And Recent Escalation
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have risen sharply during the past year. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militant groups that plan and carry out attacks from Afghan soil; the Afghan Taliban deny those claims and describe militancy in Pakistan as an internal issue. The dispute has strained relations and led to deadly cross-border clashes.
Fighting escalated in February, with Pakistan at one point describing the situation as an "open war" after a surge in clashes and cross-border strikes. A China-mediated ceasefire in March produced a fragile pause, but attacks and retaliatory strikes have since rekindled tensions. Last month, an attack on a police facility in north-west Pakistan killed 24 people and intensified pressure on both sides. Earlier raids in recent days reportedly struck Kandahar and other provinces; the Afghan Taliban said a previous strike had killed four civilians.
What Remains Unclear
Casualty figures and details differ between official statements from Islamabad and claims by the Afghan Taliban; independent verification is limited. The differing accounts highlight the difficulty of confirming events in remote border provinces and the broader risk of further escalation between the two neighbours.
Implications: The strikes risk undoing fragile de-escalation efforts and complicate regional diplomacy, including China-mediated talks. Humanitarian and civilian-protection concerns underscore calls for restraint and independent investigations into reported civilian casualties.
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