Pakistani fighter jets carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan's northeastern Kunar province and the eastern Paktika province early Monday, resulting in the deaths of three civilians, including one woman, and injuring four others. This information was reported by Tolo News and confirmed by Taliban officials, including spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. The strikes reportedly hit a residential house in Kunar's Noorgal district and a shop and an unoccupied residential house in Paktika's Barmal district. The incident occurred around 3:00 AM local time.
The strikes mark the first publicly reported Pakistani air operations inside Afghanistan in nearly three months, following a previous round of strikes on June 28 that killed 28 civilians and wounded 49, according to UNAMA. The latest attacks come two days after a deadly assault on a police facility in Kohat, Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which resulted in 31 deaths. The Taliban spokesman condemned the strikes as "aggression and a continuation of crimes" by Pakistan and vowed an "appropriate response."
The ongoing dispute between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government centers on Pakistan's accusations that the Taliban harbor Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants who launch attacks on Pakistani soil. The Taliban deny these claims, stating they do not allow Afghan territory to be used to threaten other countries. The latest escalation highlights the deteriorating relations between the neighbors and the fragility of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.
