Afghanistan Accuses Pakistan of Killing 36 Civilians, Islamabad Says Militants Were Targeted

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated sharply after Pakistan launched ground operations and airstrikes along the shared border, with both countries presenting conflicting accounts of the military action.

The Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan claimed that the strikes killed 36 civilians and left more than 160 people injured , with casualties reported from the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar . Afghan officials said the victims included women and children , alleging that residential neighbourhoods were hit. They also claimed that one of the locations was struck a second time while local residents were trying to rescue those trapped under the debris, increasing the death toll.

Condemning the operation, the Taliban government described it as a violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty and accused Pakistan of carrying out an attack on civilians. Afghan officials warned that the country would respond to what they called an act of aggression. Kabul also rejected Pakistan's repeated accusations that it provides sanctuary to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) , insisting that Afghan territory is not being used to launch attacks against neighbouring states.

Pakistan, however, maintained that the operation was a counterterrorism mission aimed solely at militant infrastructure. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistani forces first conducted a ground assault before carrying out precision airstrikes on three suspected militant hideouts near the border. According to Islamabad, the operation resulted in the deaths of 29 militants .

The Pakistani government said the military action was launched following a recent rise in terrorist violence inside the country, including the attack on the Pakistan Rangers' headquarters in Karachi , where three security personnel were killed. Authorities blamed the assault on Jamaat-ul-Ahrar , a militant faction affiliated with the TTP , and reiterated that armed groups continue to operate from across the Afghan border.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it had independently verified at least 28 civilian fatalities , while noting that the casualty figures remain preliminary and could increase as assessments continue. The UN appealed to both countries to avoid further escalation and protect civilians.

In a separate development, Pakistan announced that authorities will begin arresting undocumented Afghan nationals from July 10 as part of its ongoing campaign against illegal immigration, citing national security concerns amid rising cross-border militancy.

The latest military exchange marks one of the most serious flare-ups between the two neighbours in recent months, highlighting the deepening security dispute over militant activity along their volatile frontier despite repeated diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.