Pakistan launched cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people. The strikes, which targeted seven militant camps in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, have significantly escalated tensions between the two nations.
The attacks were carried out in response to a series of recent suicide bombings in Pakistan, which Islamabad has attributed to fighters operating from Afghan soil.
According to Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the strikes hit civilian areas, martyring and wounding multiple individuals, including women and children. The Taliban-led government condemned the attacks, calling them unjust and harmful to civilian life.
Pakistan’s Response:
Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, defended the military’s actions, labeling them as “intelligence-based, selective operations” aimed at terrorist camps of the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, TTP) and their affiliates. Additionally, groups linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) were also targeted. Pakistan claims to have “conclusive evidence” that several recent attacks, including a deadly suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad earlier this month that killed 31 people, were orchestrated by Afghan-based militants.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to take stronger action against militant groups using Afghan territory as a launchpad for attacks on Pakistan. However, Islamabad claims that these requests have largely gone unanswered.
Rising Tensions:
The latest military strikes come after months of escalating violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan, exacerbated by Taliban control of Afghanistan since 2021. The relationship between the two nations has deteriorated following deadly border clashes, most notably in October 2025, which led to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey. Although the ceasefire ended hostilities temporarily, subsequent rounds of talks in Doha and Istanbul have failed to produce a long-term peace agreement.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, relations remain tense, with both sides accusing each other of failing to uphold commitments to reduce violence along their volatile border.
Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Disputes:
The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been a contentious area for decades, particularly following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. With the Taliban’s return to power, many militant groups, including the TTP, have found refuge in Afghanistan, further complicating the already fragile relations between the two countries. The recent spate of attacks, including bombings and suicide attacks, has fueled nationalist sentiments in Pakistan, leading to calls for a more aggressive stance against Afghanistan.
The impact of these latest strikes is expected to further strain diplomatic relations, with both countries caught in a cycle of retaliation. While Pakistan remains under pressure to protect its citizens, Afghanistan’s Taliban government has warned that military strikes on Afghan soil could further destabilize the region.
