Pakistan has carried out a series of air strikes along its border with Afghanistan, shattering months of relative calm and reigniting tensions between the neighbouring countries.
According to Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, the military operation targeted four locations believed to be militant hideouts and resulted in the deaths of 26 suspected militants.
Tarar described the attacks as “calibrated strikes” aimed at terrorist infrastructure near the border, including a training facility and an ammunition storage site.
The operation came just one day after an attack near Peshawar that reportedly killed at least six Pakistani security personnel.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to militant groups responsible for carrying out attacks inside Pakistani territory, allegations that the Taliban-led Afghan government continues to deny.
In contrast to Pakistan’s account, Afghanistan’s Taliban administration claimed the strikes killed 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman and one elderly man across the provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said 14 women and children were injured during the bombardment.
The Afghan government reiterated its longstanding position that its territory is not being used to launch attacks against other countries and condemned the latest military action.
The strikes mark the latest chapter in a deteriorating relationship between the two nations, despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October last year following weeks of deadly border clashes.
Tensions escalated significantly earlier this year. In February, fighting between Afghan and Pakistani forces reportedly left dozens dead, while subsequent military exchanges deepened the conflict.
One of the most controversial incidents occurred in March when a Pakistani air strike struck the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul. According to a United Nations report, at least 269 people were killed in the attack, making it one of the deadliest incidents in Afghanistan’s recent history.
The latest escalation has raised fresh concerns about stability along the 2,600-kilometre border shared by the two countries, with fears that further retaliation could trigger a broader regional security crisis.
As both governments continue to trade accusations, observers warn that the fragile peace established in recent months may now be at risk of collapsing altogether.
