Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces, with Afghanistan’s Taliban government saying nine civilians, including women and children, were killed and 11 others wounded. Pakistan said the strikes targeted militant hideouts and claimed 22 militants were killed.Key HighlightsAfghanistan says nine civilians were killed in the strikes.Eleven others were reportedly wounded.Three houses were destroyed, according to Afghan officials.The strikes took place in Kunar and Helmand provinces.Pakistan said it targeted militant camps and hideouts.Pakistan reported 22 militants killed.The casualty claims from both sides could not be independently verified.Pakistan Airstrikes Hit Kunar and HelmandAccording to Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, Pakistani aircraft struck areas in Kunar in northeastern Afghanistan and Helmand in the south late Wednesday.Mujahid said the attacks hit civilian homes, killing nine Afghan civilians, including women and children. He also reported 11 injuries and the destruction of three houses.Afghanistan condemned the strikes and described them as an act of aggression. Reuters reported that the claims about the casualties could not be independently verified.Pakistan Says It Targeted MilitantsPakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the military conducted what it described as planned and targeted airstrikes based on intelligence.Islamabad said two locations used by militant groups were targeted and that weapons and ammunition were also destroyed. Its initial assessment put the number of militants killed at 22. Pakistan also said precautions were taken to prevent civilian casualties.Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies providing a safe haven to the group.Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan RiseThe latest Pakistan Afghanistan airstrikes come amid renewed tensions between the neighbouring countries following months of cross-border clashes.The two sides have traded accusations over militant activity, border attacks and military operations. Earlier Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan also led to competing claims over civilian and militant casualties.The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week that it had documented more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far in 2026.Conflicting Claims Over Civilian CasualtiesAfghanistan says the latest strikes hit civilian homes and killed women and children, while Pakistan says it targeted militant infrastructure.Neither side's casualty figures or the precise nature of all the targets could immediately be independently confirmed. The conflicting accounts come as Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to face unresolved disputes over armed groups operating along their border.
