Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside eastern Afghanistan, saying it targeted militant hideouts linked to recent attacks in Pakistan. Afghan authorities strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of sovereignty and reporting civilian casualties, according to The Media reports.
According to Pakistani officials, the military launched intelligence-based air operations against seven suspected militant camps along the Pakistan Afghanistan border. The targets were described as bases of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), groups Islamabad blames for a wave of suicide bombings and attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu.
Security sources in Pakistan said several militants were killed in the strikes, including a commander identified as Akhtar Muhammad. Pakistani aircraft reportedly hit locations in Afghanistan’s Paktika and Nangarhar provinces, including the Bermal and Khogyani districts. Pakistan said the operation destroyed militant infrastructure and was carried out with “precision and accuracy” to protect its citizens.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the country had “conclusive evidence” that recent attacks were planned by Afghanistan based militant leadership. It stated that Pakistan had repeatedly asked Afghanistan’s Taliban-led interim government to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory for cross-border attacks but saw “no meaningful action.” Islamabad urged Afghan authorities and the international community to ensure Afghan soil is not used against Pakistan, saying national security remains its top priority while it seeks regional stability.
Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government rejected Pakistan’s justification and condemned the airstrikes as a breach of international law and neighborly relations. The Afghan Ministry of Defense said the strikes killed and wounded dozens of civilians, including women and children, particularly in Nangarhar province. Local officials there reported at least 18 deaths in Behsud district, all described as civilians.
Taliban spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi warned that Afghanistan would defend its sovereignty and respond at a time of its choosing. Afghan officials insisted their territory is not being used to threaten Pakistan and accused Islamabad of targeting innocent people instead of addressing tensions through dialogue.
The strikes triggered widespread condemnation within Afghanistan. Residents in several provinces described the attacks as tragic and called for peaceful solutions rather than military action. Some voices demanded retaliation, while others urged restraint and negotiations.
Former Afghan leaders also criticized the operation. Ex-president Hamid Karzai and former peace council head Abdullah Abdullah condemned the strikes and called on both countries to resolve disputes through talks and cooperation. Former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef described the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.
Pakistan maintains that cross border militancy poses a serious threat and says it will act against groups it considers terrorists. Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities deny harboring such groups and warn against further incursions.
The incident highlights growing mistrust between the neighbors, who share a long and porous border. While both governments say they seek peace and stability, the latest violence underscores how security concerns and competing narratives continue to strain relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
