Four Civilians Reported Killed in Pakistani Air Strikes in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Taliban government reported that a series of Pakistani air strikes resulted in the deaths of four civilians. The strikes occurred in provinces including Kandahar, which is a stronghold for the Taliban. A resident in Kandahar reported hearing a jet followed by a large explosion and subsequent fire. Pakistan's military stated that it targeted ten locations in Afghanistan, emphasizing that the strikes were confined to identified military objectives. This marks the second round of air strikes from Pakistan within a week, following a deadly attack on a police facility in Pakistan on September 18. In response to the air strikes, the Taliban indicated that there would be an 'appropriate response,' while Pakistan warned that any further 'provocative act' would be met with retaliation. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported that the strikes affected Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces. An official in Paktia stated that jets bombed the Afghan Armed Forces' 203 Mansouri Corps, which is under Taliban control, but did not provide casualty figures. In Khost, a spokesman mentioned damage to houses but no casualties. Local eyewitnesses described panic during the strikes, with one resident stating that there were only civilian homes in the area. Mujahid criticized the attacks as 'reckless, careless, and hostile,' suggesting they would have negative repercussions for the Pakistani military. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar characterized the strikes as 'deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate.' The recent escalation follows a period of relative calm between the two nations, which lasted for three months. The situation deteriorated after a mosque attack in Pakistan that resulted in at least 31 fatalities, attributed to a group linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants, a claim the Taliban government denies. In the wake of the police facility attack, Pakistan conducted air strikes in the border region, claiming to have killed 28 militants. A Taliban spokesman in Kunar province reported three civilian deaths and four injuries from a strike, which the UN mission Unama confirmed. Earlier this week, Pakistan claimed to have neutralized drones launched from Afghanistan, a claim denied by Taliban officials. Unama reported that cross-border violence between Taliban forces and Pakistani security forces resulted in at least 499 civilian deaths and 1,216 injuries from October 2025 to June 2026. The most significant incident occurred in March when over 269 individuals were killed in a Pakistani air strike on Kabul, which the Taliban claimed targeted a drug rehabilitation center. Pakistan refuted this, asserting that it aimed at military installations. Despite a ceasefire agreement in March, efforts for a lasting resolution have not succeeded. During a recent meeting at the UN General Assembly, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called for 'concrete and verifiable' measures to prevent the use of Afghan territory for terrorism.