At Least 18 Killed in Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan

At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured after Pakistan launched airstrikes along its border with Afghanistan on Sunday, Afghan authorities said, marking one of the deadliest escalations between the two neighbors in recent months.

According to Afghan officials, the strikes hit residential areas and a religious school in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika. In one incident alone, 23 members of a single family were trapped beneath the rubble of a destroyed home, with 18 confirmed dead and five injured.

Pakistan said the operation targeted seven camps and hideouts linked to Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan and an affiliate of the Islamic State group. Islamabad described the strikes as retaliation for recent suicide attacks, including a bombing at a mosque in the capital earlier this month.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry condemned the air raids, reporting civilian casualties, including women and children, and warning of a proportionate and measured response.

Local police in Nangarhar said the bombardment began around midnight and struck three districts. Residents joined rescue teams using heavy equipment and shovels to recover bodies from collapsed buildings.

Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of targeting civilians and attempting to divert attention from its internal security challenges.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused militant groups of launching attacks from Afghan territory, claims the Taliban administration denies.

Previous clashes in October left more than 70 people dead before a ceasefire was brokered, reportedly with mediation from Qatar and Turkey.