Pakistani Airstrike in Afghanistan Leaves Dozens Dead, Taliban Vows Retaliation

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At least 46 people, mostly civilians and children, were reportedly killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, according to Afghan Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat. An additional six individuals, predominantly children, were wounded in the strike, which targeted the Barmal district near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense condemned the attack, stating:
“Barmal district of Paktika was bombed by the Pakistan Army late today. Most of the civilians targeted were Waziristani refugees, and a number of them, including children, were martyred and injured.”

Conflicting Accounts of the Target

While Afghan officials described the attack as an assault on refugees, Pakistani security sources claimed it targeted a militant training facility, aiming to neutralize insurgents operating near the border. Local residents and witnesses told the Associated Press that at least 13 people were killed, though the casualty count may be higher. The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alleged a death toll of 50, including 27 women and children.

Background on Border Tensions

The TTP, a militant group distinct from but allied with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, has been a source of escalating tensions between the two countries. Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP militants and allowing cross-border attacks, claims that Kabul denies. Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021, relations with Pakistan have deteriorated, with both sides accusing the other of undermining security along the shared border.

Afghan Taliban’s Response

Afghanistan’s Taliban government denounced the airstrike as an “act of aggression” and a violation of international principles. The Afghan Ministry of National Defense warned of retaliation, stating, “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this heinous act unanswered; rather, it considers it its right to defend its territory and sovereignty.”

Pakistan’s Silence and History of Border Incidents

Pakistani officials have not commented on the airstrike, which follows a similar attack in March that killed eight civilians along the border. Cross-border violence has surged since the Taliban takeover, with Islamabad citing a sharp rise in militant attacks within Pakistan in recent months.

The airstrike adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught relationship between the two neighbors. As tensions escalate, the humanitarian toll continues to mount, leaving civilians—especially refugees—caught in the crossfire.