Islamabad: Pakistan has once again carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory, marking another episode of deadly cross-border aggression that threatens to worsen already fragile relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The attacks, which struck targets in Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktika province, reportedly killed at least 10 civilians and left 12 others injured, according to local Afghan officials and eyewitnesses.
The strikes took place late Wednesday night, shattering a brief period of calm following a recently mediated ceasefire. Eyewitnesses in Paktika described multiple explosions and heavy aerial bombardment that devastated homes and left several families buried under rubble. Local residents rushed to rescue survivors, as Afghan authorities condemned the operation as an “unprovoked act of aggression.”
According to Taliban spokespersons, the Pakistani Air Force violated the border agreement just days after a truce was brokered by Gulf nations, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Taliban government has accused Pakistan of targeting civilian areas rather than militant hideouts, a charge Islamabad has yet to respond to formally.
Earlier this month, Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities following deadly exchanges linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The militant outfit, which operates along the porous border, had claimed responsibility for several attacks inside Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to conduct retaliatory strikes across Afghan territory. The fragile ceasefire, however, collapsed within days, signaling deep mistrust between the two sides.
Gulf mediators had hailed the truce as a small step toward dialogue, but the renewed airstrikes now threaten to unravel months of diplomatic engagement. Afghan officials warned that continued incursions could “ignite a broader regional confrontation,” as the Taliban vows a “measured but firm response.”
In Paktika, the human cost of the airstrike is becoming increasingly visible. Local health workers confirmed that the dead included women and children, with several others critically wounded and transported to nearby clinics. Community elders described the attack as “a massacre that targeted innocent lives,” calling on international organizations to investigate the bombing.
Amid the wreckage, families mourned their loved ones while relief efforts struggled to reach remote areas. The lack of medical infrastructure in the border provinces has further worsened the crisis, forcing many of the injured to be transported long distances for treatment.
The latest assault has triggered outrage in Kabul, where Taliban officials are reportedly preparing to summon Pakistan’s ambassador for an official protest. Afghan media outlets have urged the international community to condemn what they describe as repeated violations of Afghan sovereignty. Analysts warn that if unchecked, the ongoing pattern of Pakistani air operations could push Afghanistan closer to retaliatory measures.
Meanwhile, Islamabad maintains that its strikes are part of “counterterrorism operations” aimed at dismantling TTP networks allegedly operating from Afghan soil. Yet, the growing civilian death toll is drawing criticism from humanitarian groups and foreign observers who caution that such actions risk radicalizing border populations and destabilizing an already volatile region.
The cross-border strikes underscore the long-standing tensions that have plagued Pakistan–Afghanistan relations since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Both nations accuse each other of harboring militants, while the border itself remains a flashpoint for military operations and insurgent activity.
With 10 lives lost and a dozen more injured in the latest assault, the fragile peace along the Durand Line stands on the brink of collapse. As Kabul warns of retaliation and Islamabad defends its right to act against terrorism, the people living along the frontier continue to bear the heaviest burden of a conflict that shows no sign of ending.