Pakistani air strikes have killed dozens of people in eastern Afghanistan, triggering a fierce diplomatic row between Islamabad and the Taliban government in Kabul. The Taliban says the strikes targeted civilian areas, while Pakistan maintains that its military was acting against militant hideouts used to plan cross-border attacks.
Strikes Hit Multiple Locations
Pakistani military aircraft struck several locations in Afghanistan’s border provinces over the weekend, in what Islamabad described as precision operations against militant infrastructure. The Pakistani military said the strikes targeted bases operated by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an organisation responsible for a wave of deadly attacks inside Pakistan in recent years.
The Taliban administration in Kabul released a statement strongly condemning the strikes, claiming that they resulted in significant civilian casualties, including women and children. Afghan officials said rescue teams were deployed to the affected areas and that the death toll was expected to rise as search operations continued.
Tensions at Boiling Point
The strikes mark a significant escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, two countries that share a long and contested border. Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban government have deteriorated sharply over the past two years, primarily due to Pakistan’s accusations that Afghan territory is being used as a staging ground for TTP militants who carry out attacks on Pakistani soil.
The Taliban has consistently denied sheltering or supporting the TTP, and has previously called on Pakistan to pursue dialogue rather than military action to address security concerns. Following the latest strikes, Taliban spokespeople warned of consequences if Pakistani military operations across the border continued.
International Community Urges Restraint
The United Nations and several governments called for de-escalation and dialogue between the two sides. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern about the potential for further destabilisation of an already fragile region and urged both parties to exercise restraint and engage through diplomatic channels.
Human rights organisations issued separate statements demanding independent investigations into the reported civilian casualties. Several groups noted that access to the affected areas remains severely limited, making it difficult to independently verify claims made by either side.
A Worsening Security Picture
The latest strikes come amid a broader deterioration in security conditions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Pakistan has carried out similar operations in the past, drawing sharp criticism from Kabul each time. Analysts warn that without a sustained diplomatic framework for addressing shared security concerns, the cycle of militant attacks and retaliatory strikes is likely to continue.
For Afghan civilians living in border areas, the recurring violence adds to the humanitarian pressures of life under Taliban rule, where access to food, healthcare and education — particularly for women and girls — remains severely constrained. Aid agencies operating in the region have called on all parties to ensure the protection of civilian lives in accordance with international humanitarian law.
