Pakistan carried out a series of airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan on June 29, killing dozens of people and sharply escalating tensions between the two uneasy neighbors, according to Hurriyet Daily News. While Islamabad said the strikes targeted militants, Afghan authorities reported heavy civilian casualties, deepening a long-running dispute over security and sovereignty.
Pakistan’s information minister said the operation killed at least 25 militants linked to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group has been blamed for a recent deadly attack in Karachi, which Pakistani officials say prompted the cross-border response. According to the minister, the offensive included both precision airstrikes and limited ground operations along the border, with four militants killed on the ground.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, however, presented a starkly different account. Officials said the strikes hit three eastern provinces Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar, killing at least 36 civilians and injuring 163 others. Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat described scenes of chaos, alleging that some areas were struck again as residents gathered to rescue the wounded.
The latest violence reflects a relationship strained for years, and especially since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harboring militant groups that carry out attacks across the border, a claim Afghan authorities deny. Kabul, in turn, has condemned Pakistani airstrikes as violations of its sovereignty, fueling resentment among its population.
Although both countries agreed to a ceasefire in March following a brief but intense period of fighting earlier this year, clashes have continued to erupt. Afghan officials say Pakistani strikes earlier in June killed 13 people, underscoring how fragile the truce remains.
The conflict also unfolds against a wider regional backdrop. Pakistan is currently attempting to play a diplomatic role in easing tensions between the United States and Iran, yet it insists that its internal security challenges require firm military action against militant networks, even beyond its borders.
As accusations and counterclaims mount, the latest strikes risk pushing the already fragile relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan into deeper instability, with civilians once again caught in the middle.
