Pakistan executed a series of military airstrikes targeting militant positions within Afghan territory during overnight operations, marking a significant escalation in cross-border tensions. The Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed the offensive targeted seven locations along the border region, specifically aimed at Afghanistan-based militant organizations including the Pakistani Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate.
The operation, described as retaliatory measures following recent suicide bombing incidents within Pakistan, represents the most substantial military action since October border clashes that resulted in over seventy casualties. According to Islamabad’s official statement, the strikes were conducted in response to security failures by Taliban authorities to address militant sanctuaries within their territory.
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reported the attacks struck provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika, resulting in numerous casualties including women and children. An AFP journalist in Bihsud district witnessed emergency responders using heavy machinery to search for victims beneath collapsed structures. Confidential security sources indicated that among the deceased were twelve children and teenagers killed when a residential compound was struck.
The deteriorating relationship between the neighboring nations has intensified since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with security concerns constituting the primary point of contention. Pakistan maintains that Afghan territory serves as a base for militant operations against its interests, while Kabul consistently denies these allegations.
The recent escalation follows a particularly devastating suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad two weeks prior, which claimed at least forty lives and injured over 160 people—the deadliest attack on the capital since 2008. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that assault, though Pakistan attributes broader militant activity to Taliban-tolerant policies.
Previous border conflicts had been temporarily resolved through Qatar and Turkey-mediated ceasefires, though subsequent diplomatic negotiations in Doha and Istanbul have failed to establish lasting security agreements between the two nations.