Pakistan has reportedly carried out deadly cross-border strikes in Kunar province of Afghanistan, according to Taliban, however Islamabad has firmly rejected the allegations, calling them “fabricated” and accusing Afghan media of misinformation. According to reports quoting Taliban officials, Pakistani mortar and rocket fire struck civilian areas in Kunar’s Asadabad, including residential homes and the Syed Jamaluddin Afghani University. The strikes reportedly left at least four people dead. Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said around 70 people were injured in the incident, including nearly 30 students, as well as women and children. NewsX couln not independently verify the Taliban claims.
“We strongly condemn these attacks by the Pakistani military regime, in which ordinary people, academics, and educational institutions were targeted, and declare them unforgivable war crimes,” Fitrat said in a post on X. Afghan media outlets carried similar reports.
Pakistan Denies Role, Calls Taliban Claims ‘Fake’
Pakistan’s information ministry denied any involvement in the alleged strikes, dismissing the accusations as baseless.
“Whenever and wherever Pakistan strikes the Afghan-based terror infrastructure, it will be as per previous actions, well declared, fully owned and backed by precise evidence of targeting terror support infrastructure,” the ministry said in a statement on X.
Rejecting reports of civilian casualties, the ministry accused Afghan media of spreading false narratives to divert attention from militant activity.
“The pattern is a page of the old play book where Afghan media creates fake news to cover up the support to terrorist groups and proxies like the Fitna al Khwarij (Pakistani Taliban),” it added.
First Major Incident Between Pakistan And Afghanistan After China-Mediated Talks
The alleged strikes mark the first instance of cross-border escalation since recent China-mediated talks in Urumqi, which had briefly eased tensions and encouraged both sides to tone down rhetoric.
Taliban officials maintain that the strikes specifically targeted civilian infrastructure, including homes and the university in Asadabad.
Why Is Pakistan At War With Afghanistan?
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been locked in months of deadly clashes since February this year, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
In March, both countries announced a temporary ceasefire around Eid al-Fitr. Kabul and Islamabad indicated that the pause was facilitated at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, aiming to provide respite from ongoing hostilities, according to The Associated Press.
However, violence continued to flare. In one of the deadliest incidents, Taliban authorities claimed that more than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. Pakistan rejected the claim as “false and misleading,” stating that it had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.”
‘Open War’ Declaration Against Afghanistan By Pakistan
Pakistan declared “open war” against Afghanistan after escalating attacks between the two sides.
Pakistan carried out strikes in Afghanistan’s major cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, as well as the border province of Paktia, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. Hours later, Tarar reported drone attacks in Pakistani cities, Abbottabad, Swabi, and Nowshera, which he blamed on the Taliban, adding that there was “no damage to life.”
“Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a post on X after the strikes.
Asif accused the Taliban of turning Afghanistan into “a proxy for India” and alleged that it was “gathering all the terrorists of the world in Afghanistan” and “exporting terrorism.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
