Pakistan has carried out cross-border airstrikes on alleged militant camps inside Afghanistan, killing and injuring dozens and sharply escalating tensions between the two neighbouring nations.
The strikes targeted seven locations in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, areas that Pakistan claims are being used by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliates linked to Islamic State.
Civilian casualties alleged
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the strikes hit civilian areas, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries, including women and children. The Taliban-led administration condemned the attacks as unjust and harmful to civilian life.
The development marks one of the most significant escalations between the two countries in recent months.
Pakistan defends action
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the operation as “intelligence-based, selective strikes” targeting terrorist infrastructure. Islamabad claims it possesses “conclusive evidence” linking recent suicide bombings in Pakistan, including an attack on a Shiite mosque in the capital that killed 31 people, to militants operating from Afghan soil.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to take action against militant groups using Afghan territory as a launchpad for attacks. However, officials in Islamabad argue that their concerns have not been adequately addressed.
Fragile ceasefire and border tensions
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Deadly border clashes in October 2025 led to a temporary ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, followed by talks in Doha and Istanbul. However, no lasting agreement has been achieved.
The porous and disputed border has long been a flashpoint, and the presence of armed groups has further complicated diplomatic efforts.
With nationalist sentiment rising in Pakistan and Kabul warning against further military action, the latest strikes risk deepening instability in an already volatile region.