Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Pakistan launched late-night airstrikes on Tuesday targeting Pakistani Taliban (TTP) bases in Afghanistan’s border regions, killing at least 15 people, including women and children, according to security officials. The strikes, which drew sharp condemnation from the Afghan Taliban, have escalated tensions, with Kabul vowing retaliation against what it called a “brutal and unilateral” act.
The airstrikes struck suspected terror hideouts in Paktika province, bordering Pakistan, targeting seven villages, Afghan media reported. One village was reportedly destroyed, and a training facility was dismantled, officials said. Afghan Taliban sources claimed that most of the victims were refugees from Pakistan’s Waziristan region.
In a statement, the Taliban’s Defence Ministry condemned the strikes as violations of international principles. “This is a brutal act of aggression. The Islamic Emirate considers the defense of its territory an inalienable right,” it said, labeling the airstrikes a “cowardly act” and warning that such actions would not resolve issues between the two nations.
Islamabad has frequently accused the TTP of orchestrating cross-border attacks from Afghan soil, a claim Kabul denies. The TTP, emboldened since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, has intensified its attacks on Pakistani security forces, killing dozens in recent months.
The airstrikes followed a visit by Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, who held talks with the Taliban leadership in Kabul, including acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. The meeting focused on improving bilateral ties but underscored the fragile relations between the two neighbors.
This is not the first time Pakistan has targeted TTP strongholds in Afghanistan. In March, similar airstrikes in Khost and Paktika provinces were carried out in response to an attack that killed seven Pakistani soldiers, including senior officers.
The deteriorating security situation highlights the growing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban government in Kabul, with cross-border violence threatening stability in the region.
