The Afghan Taliban has accused Pakistan of carrying out deadly airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province on Tuesday, claiming the lives of at least 46 people, most of whom were women and children. The Afghan Ministry of Defence stated that the victims were predominantly “Waziristani refugees,” suggesting they were originally from Pakistan’s Waziristan region. In addition to the fatalities, six individuals sustained injuries in the strikes, which targeted four different locations, according to Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan Taliban.
The Pakistani government and military have yet to provide a response to the allegations. Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Office summoned Pakistan’s head of mission in Kabul to deliver a formal protest. The Afghan Ministry of National Defence condemned the attack, describing it as “a blatant violation of all international principles and an act of aggression.” Spokesman Enayatullah Khowrazmi declared that the “Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered,” signaling a potential retaliation.
A Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Reuters that Pakistan conducted the airstrikes. According to the official, the strikes targeted a camp belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant Islamist group. While TTP shares ideological ties and allegiance with the Afghan Taliban, it operates independently and has a stated aim of implementing Islamic law in Pakistan, mirroring the Taliban’s governance in Afghanistan.
The strikes came in the wake of a significant TTP attack in Pakistan’s South Waziristan region, near the Afghan border, on Saturday. The attack resulted in the deaths of 16 Pakistani security personnel. Pakistan has frequently accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP militants and enabling cross-border attacks, a claim the Afghan Taliban denies.
The relationship between the two neighbors has grown increasingly strained. Tensions were heightened in March when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of conducting two airstrikes on its territory, killing five women and children. At the time, Pakistan described its operations as “intelligence-based anti-terrorist actions” but refrained from disclosing specific details.
This latest incident underscores the fragile and hostile nature of Afghan-Pakistani relations. Both sides have repeatedly blamed each other for fostering militancy and destabilizing the region. As the situation escalates, the Afghan Taliban’s vow of retaliation raises concerns about further violence in an already volatile region.
