At least three people have been killed and several others injured after Pakistani aircraft reportedly carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kunar province, according to a provincial official cited by TOLOnews.
The strikes have triggered fresh concerns over rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have faced repeated disputes over cross-border militancy.
Why Did Pakistan Strike Afghanistan?
The reported airstrikes came days after a deadly suicide bombing at a police facility in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack further intensified Islamabad’s security concerns over militant groups that Pakistan says operate from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of using Afghanistan as a base for attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban administration has rejected those allegations and denies allowing Afghan soil to be used against Pakistan.
The exact targets of the latest Kunar strikes and the identities of those killed have not been independently established in early reports.
Taliban Warns Islamabad
The development follows a warning from Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, who had urged Pakistan not to launch military operations inside Afghanistan.
Mujahid said Kabul would regard any Pakistani military action on Afghan territory as a violation of its sovereignty and claimed Afghanistan had the right to defend itself.
He also rejected accusations that the Taliban allows the TTP to recruit, train or launch attacks from Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Still Open to Talks
Despite the warning of a military response, Mujahid said Kabul remains willing to engage in talks with Islamabad. He called for stronger intelligence-sharing and greater cooperation to address security concerns along the border.
He also supported a possible Saudi mediation role, arguing that Riyadh has relations with both countries.
The latest strikes could further strain already tense Pakistan-Afghanistan ties, with cross-border militancy remaining a major point of dispute.
