SRINAGAR: The border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated sharply this week following deadly airstrikes by the Pakistani military in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Taliban officials confirmed that the strikes, which occurred late Tuesday in the Barmal district, killed 46 people, predominantly women and children, and injured six others.
WATCH: Pakistani strikes on Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province killed at least 46 people. Afghanistan’s foreign office summoned Pakistan’s head of mission in Kabul and warned of consequences https://t.co/Nk4DSIBATs pic.twitter.com/kowyBTMgkK
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The attacks have drawn strong condemnation from the Taliban government, which has vowed retaliation, labelling the strikes as an “unprovoked act of aggression” and a violation of Afghan sovereignty.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the strikes targeted four areas within Barmal, with significant damage to residential homes. A resident of the district, identified as Maleel, recounted the devastation, noting that 18 members of a single family were killed when one house was struck. Another home was also bombarded, resulting in three additional fatalities and numerous injuries. The areas hit by the strikes include zones housing families displaced by decades of conflict, compounding the tragedy.
The Afghan Ministry of Defence strongly condemned the airstrikes, calling them “barbaric” and asserting that Afghanistan would not leave such actions unanswered. “Defending our territory and sovereignty is our inalienable right,” read a statement from the ministry. Deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat further emphasised that the victims included refugees from Pakistan’s Waziristan region, highlighting the complexity of the border dynamics and the human cost of these strikes.
Meanwhile, a senior Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, justified the operation as targeting “terrorist hideouts”, utilising a combination of jets and drones. This follows an ongoing trend of cross-border hostilities since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan government of harbouring militants linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The TTP, which shares ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban, has intensified its attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent months. Last week, a TTP assault on a Pakistani military outpost near the border in North Waziristan resulted in the deaths of 16 soldiers.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have grown increasingly strained over the issue. Pakistan has long alleged that the Taliban administration provides safe haven to TTP operatives, a charge the Afghan authorities vehemently deny. However, a United Nations Security Council report in July estimated that up to 6,500 TTP fighters operate from Afghan territory, further exacerbating tensions. The Taliban’s reluctance to categorise the TTP as a terrorist group has added to the friction.
Tuesday’s strikes occurred as Pakistan’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, was in Kabul for high-level talks aimed at easing tensions. Despite the bombing, Sadiq proceeded with meetings, including one with Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Maulwi Abdul Kabir.
Afghan officials, however, summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to lodge a formal protest, warning of consequences should such attacks continue. This juxtaposition of military aggression and diplomatic engagement has further complicated an already tense relationship.
This is not the first time Pakistani forces have carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan. In March, similar operations targeted militant hideouts in the border regions, reportedly killing several civilians. These actions have sparked outrage among Afghans and raised fears of broader conflict along the historically volatile frontier.
Adding to the complexity, Afghanistan’s defence ministry has reported increased mobilisation of Taliban forces along the border, including heavy weaponry. Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has warned Pakistan of a strong response should further airstrikes occur. Political analysts suggest that the Taliban’s leadership is under pressure to demonstrate resolve against Pakistani actions, given the historical narrative of defending Afghan sovereignty against foreign incursions.
The violence underscores the fragile security situation in the region, where the porous border has long served as a conduit for militants and a flashpoint for geopolitical tensions. Pakistan’s operations, part of its broader campaign against the TTP, have repeatedly drawn criticism for their impact on civilian populations, further souring relations with Kabul.
(The report is based on coverage of the conflict in international media)
