At least three people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, according to Afghan officials, raising fears of renewed tensions between the two neighbouring countries after several months of relative calm.
The strikes reportedly hit areas in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Paktika provinces. Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said that at least one house in Kunar was hit, killing three members of the same family and injuring four others.
Fitrat said two locations in Barmal district of Paktika were also targeted. According to him, one shop and an unoccupied house were destroyed in the strikes, but there were no reported casualties at those locations.
Pakistan’s military had not immediately issued a statement or responded to requests for comment on the reported strikes.
The latest incident comes just days after a police facility in northwestern Pakistan was attacked, leaving at least 16 people dead. The timing has increased concerns that tensions between Islamabad and Kabul could once again escalate.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained for months, with the central dispute focusing on militant activity along the two countries’ shared border.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing militants to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has rejected the allegations, maintaining that militancy inside Pakistan is an internal issue for Islamabad to address.
The two countries experienced some of their most serious clashes in years earlier this year. Afghanistan also launched drone attacks against Pakistan in July, according to reports, although Islamabad said its forces intercepted and destroyed the drones.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in March, when more than 400 people were reportedly killed in a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul. The Taliban government said the strike hit a drug rehabilitation facility. Pakistan rejected the allegation and said its forces had targeted military installations and infrastructure supporting militants.
The latest airstrikes have once again highlighted the military imbalance between the two countries. Pakistan operates a large air force, including hundreds of combat aircraft and more than 260 helicopters, according to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Afghanistan, by contrast, does not have fighter jets. Its military aviation assets include a small number of aircraft and helicopters, along with drones that have previously been used during confrontations with Pakistan.
The reported deaths in Kunar come at a particularly sensitive time, as both sides continue to face security concerns along the border. Any further military action could increase pressure on the Taliban government and Pakistan to respond, potentially ending the recent period of relative calm.
For now, details about the extent of the latest strikes and the full number of casualties remain limited. Further statements from the Pakistani military and Afghan authorities are expected as more information becomes available.
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