Escalating Border Violence: Afghanistan Reports Six Dead in Pakistani Air Strikes
Tensions between neighboring nations reached a breaking point on Friday as Afghan authorities reported that Pakistani attacks killed six people across Kabul and various border provinces. These strikes represent the latest escalation in a military campaign that Islamabad launched last month to target extremists following a surge of domestic attacks.
The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran both confirmed that airstrikes in the capital killed four people. “Women and children were among the victims,” the officials stated, highlighting the humanitarian impact of the recent bombardment.
In the eastern province of Nangarhar, authorities reported further tragedies. Provincial spokesman Sayed Tayeed Hammad told AFP that “a woman and child were killed when a Pakistan mortar shell hit a house.” These reports contradict claims from Islamabad, as Pakistani security sources insisted their forces only “targeted and destroyed” four “terrorist camps and support infrastructure” in addition to an oil storage facility in Kandahar.
Widespread Destruction and Displacement
Evidence of the violence remains visible in the Pul-e-Charkhi area of Kabul, where an AFP team observed one destroyed house and a dozen badly damaged structures. Consequently, shocked residents filled the streets while police maintained a heavy presence near the ruins of collapsed roofs and walls.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X that strikes also impacted the southern province of Kandahar and the eastern regions of Paktia and Paktika. In Kandahar, which serves as the home for supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, aircraft hit a fuel depot for Kam Air near the airport. Meanwhile, a local army spokesman in Nangarhar noted that anti-aircraft defenses responded to Pakistani aircraft flying overhead.
Diplomatic Denials and Verification Challenges
The Taliban government continues to deny any involvement or the use of Afghan territory for militancy against its neighbors. Conversely, a senior police officer in Kohat, northwest Pakistan, claimed that “explosive material” dropped from “terrorist drones” wounded three people on their side of the border.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Thursday that border attacks “significantly damaged” its transit center in Torkham. This facility serves Afghans whom Pakistan recently deported en masse. Despite these reports, Pakistan maintains it has not killed any civilians, though independent parties find it difficult to verify casualty claims from either side.
UNAMA reported on Friday that clashes have killed at least 75 civilians and injured 193 in Afghanistan since February 26. “We continue to call for an immediate cessation in hostilities to prevent further loss of civilian life,” the organization stated in a formal release. Frequent border clashes now hamper trade and force residents to flee, echoing the deadly fighting of last October which nearly closed the border entirely.
