Pakistan Carries Out Deadly Air Strikes in Eastern Afghanistan

Pakistan carried out overnight airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, targeting militant groups it holds responsible for a deadly attack in Karachi. Islamabad stated that its operations successfully eliminated 25 militants, aiming specifically at a group blamed for a weekend assault in Pakistan's largest city. However, the Afghan government has contested these claims, repeatedly denying that its territory harbors militants and reporting significant civilian casualties.

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the operations killed 25 militants and were aimed at a group that it blames for a deadly weekend attack in Karachi

The Afghan Taliban government condemned the military action on June 29, labeling it a "cowardly act of aggression." Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the airstrikes in three eastern provinces resulted in dozens of civilian deaths and injuries. The Pakistani information minister, Attaullah Tarar, confirmed the offensive included ground operations in border areas and targeted Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Tarar also reported that four militants were killed during these ground operations.

These strikes represent the latest escalation in tensions between the two nations, whose relationship has been strained since the Taliban regained power in 2021. The airstrikes follow a period of intense cross-border conflict that erupted in February. Despite agreeing to a ceasefire in March, sporadic attacks have continued, with Afghan officials reporting that Pakistani strikes in June alone killed 13 people.

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condemned the military action, calling it a “cowardly act of aggression”.

Pakistan maintains that its actions are necessary for its domestic battle against militancy, even as it mediates between the United States and Iran regarding the Middle East conflict. The Karachi attack on June 27 involved explosives and gunfire at a paramilitary camp, resulting in the deaths of three personnel. Authorities detained an Afghan national suspected of involvement. Pakistan asserts its forces employ "precise targeting" against militant hideouts and weapon stores, particularly those belonging to the TTP, which has waged a long-standing violent campaign against Pakistan.

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Three targets in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar were destroyed during precision strikes.

Afghan authorities, however, consistently deny that militants operate from their territory and assert that Pakistani operations have led to a substantial civilian death toll. They point to a March strike on a drug treatment center, which the United Nations reported killed hundreds. The ongoing conflict, which saw weeks of intense fighting along the border in late February, has displaced tens of thousands and killed hundreds, according to UN figures. International mediation efforts, including those by China, have so far failed to secure a lasting resolution between the neighbors, and the border has remained largely closed since October following cross-border violence.

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Pakistan says its forces use “precise targeting” to aim at militant hideouts and weapons stores, especially those of the TTP, which has waged a violent campaign against Pakistan for years.