Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province killed 46 civilians, including women and children, the Taliban government said on Wednesday. Pakistan, however, claimed the strikes targeted militant hideouts linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), highlighting escalating tensions along the volatile border since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The bombardment occurred late Tuesday in the Barmal district, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP. He stated that the attacks struck four areas, leaving 46 dead and six others wounded, mostly children. A resident of Barmal, Maleel, reported that 18 members of a single family were among the dead, with additional casualties in neighboring homes.
“The strikes were barbaric and a clear act of aggression,” the Taliban’s defense ministry said in a statement, vowing retaliation. “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered.”
Pakistan’s foreign ministry and military have not officially commented, but a senior Pakistani security official, speaking anonymously, said the strikes targeted TTP militants using jets and drones. “At least 20 militants were killed,” the official stated, dismissing claims of civilian casualties as “baseless and misleading.”
The TTP, which shares ideological ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban, accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting refugee homes. The strikes followed a recent TTP-claimed raid on a Pakistani military outpost near the Afghan border that left 16 soldiers dead.
Pakistan has accused Kabul of harboring TTP fighters, enabling cross-border attacks. “The interim Taliban regime has been repeatedly urged to act against the TTP, but their response has been lukewarm,” the Pakistani official added. “Such strikes will continue as necessary.”
Kabul has denied the allegations, asserting its commitment to preventing foreign militant groups from operating on Afghan soil. However, a July UN Security Council report estimated up to 6,500 TTP fighters are based in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban does not view the group as a terrorist organization.
This latest incident adds to the strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. Earlier this year, Pakistan launched a campaign to expel undocumented Afghan migrants, citing security concerns.
Tuesday’s airstrikes occurred as high-ranking Taliban officials met with Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan in Kabul, signaling an ongoing diplomatic dialogue amidst the violence.
The border regions, historically plagued by militancy, have seen increased conflict since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s strikes, reminiscent of past military offensives and U.S. drone operations, mark a renewed escalation in the decades-long unrest along the frontier.
