Pakistan Airstrikes Inside Afghanistan Escalate Border Tensions

News in Short (60 words):

Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Saturday, targeting alleged Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts. Kabul accused Islamabad of violating its sovereignty and killing civilians, warning of retaliation. The strikes shattered a brief ceasefire and forced border closures. The UN and regional powers have urged restraint to prevent further escalation.

📰 News in Detail:

Pakistan has conducted a series of airstrikes inside Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, targeting what it claims were hideouts of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The attacks have triggered strong condemnation from the Taliban-led Afghan government, which accused Islamabad of breaching its sovereignty and warned of potential retaliation.

According to Afghan officials, multiple strikes hit Argun and Barmal districts in the early hours of Saturday. Local sources reported civilian casualties, including women and children, though the numbers remain unverified. Videos shared on Afghan social media showed damaged homes and rescue workers searching through debris.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office defended the air operations, saying they were “precision-based counterterrorism actions” aimed at militants involved in recent attacks on Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

“Pakistan has a legitimate right to defend its citizens and armed forces from cross-border terrorism,” the Foreign Office said. “These actions were undertaken only after credible intelligence confirmed the presence of TTP leadership across the border.”

Taliban Government Condemns ‘Aggression’

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense called the airstrikes “a blatant act of aggression” and said they violated international law. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Islamabad would “bear responsibility for the consequences” if such attacks continued.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers these strikes an encroachment on our sovereignty and a serious provocation,” Mujahid said in a statement. “We will not tolerate such behavior indefinitely.”

The Taliban also claimed that civilians had been killed in the bombings, although no independent verification has yet been possible. Kabul has summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to lodge a formal protest.

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Ceasefire Collapses; Borders Sealed

The airstrikes came just hours after a fragile ceasefire between the two countries had been extended through informal diplomatic channels. That truce had been brokered by Qatari mediators following weeks of cross-border firing and skirmishes.

In the aftermath of the air raids, Pakistan closed the Torkham and Chaman border crossings — two key trade routes vital for Afghanistan’s economy. The closures left hundreds of cargo trucks stranded and disrupted food supplies and medical deliveries.

Locals in Paktika described panic and mass displacement as families fled their villages. “We heard planes flying before dawn and then several explosions,” one resident told The Eastern Times. “People ran out of their homes, and children were crying. It was terrifying.”

International Community Urges Restraint

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over reports of civilian harm and called for restraint from both sides. “Civilians must never be made to bear the brunt of political or military actions,” a UN spokesperson said.

Regional powers reacted swiftly. China and Iran urged both nations to de-escalate and resolve their differences through dialogue, while India blamed Pakistan for “externalizing internal security failures” and destabilizing the region.

Analysts say Islamabad’s move may reflect growing frustration over the Taliban’s inability or unwillingness to curb TTP activities inside Afghanistan.

Background: A Persistent Flashpoint

The Pakistan–Afghanistan border, marked by the disputed Durand Line, has long been a flashpoint for conflict. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring TTP militants who use Afghan territory as a base for attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban denies these claims, insisting it does not allow its soil to be used for terrorism.

Pakistan has faced a resurgence of militant violence in recent months, with deadly ambushes and bombings targeting security forces. Many of these attacks have been claimed by the TTP, which Pakistan says enjoys safe haven in Afghanistan.

Earlier airstrikes by Pakistan in December 2024 killed at least 40 people, including civilians, triggering widespread outrage across Afghanistan. Saturday’s attacks risk reopening old wounds and undermining already fragile diplomatic ties.

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