Pakistani Airstrikes Reported in Eastern and Southeastern Afghanistan
Strikes Target Border Areas
Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes in several districts of eastern and southeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, according to Afghan media outlets and officials in Islamabad.
Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported that strikes hit Khogyani, Ghani Khel, and Behsud districts in Nangarhar province. The outlet also said Pakistani aircraft targeted Barmal and Urgun districts in Paktika province.
Civilian Impact and Rescue Efforts
According to the report, one strike in Behsud district hit the home of a civilian identified as Shahabuddin. Nangarhar police spokesperson Sayed Tayyeb Hammad stated that 23 members of a family were trapped under rubble after the attack. Rescue teams have freed four people so far, and search operations continue.
The broadcaster added that no casualties were recorded in Barmal and Urgun districts. However, its Pashto service reported that a religious gathering was struck in Barmal.
Pakistan Confirms Operation
In a separate statement shared on X, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that the military conducted cross-border strikes. Officials said the operation targeted seven hideouts belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State Khorasan Province.
The ministry described the action as an intelligence-based response to recent suicide bombings inside Pakistan. It stressed that the strikes focused on militant camps along the border region.
Afghan Response
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the operation. Writing on X, he accused certain Pakistani military officials of violating Afghan territory. He claimed the strikes killed and injured dozens of civilians, including women and children.
Mujahid further alleged that Pakistan carried out the attacks to compensate for its internal security failures.
Rising Tensions
Meanwhile, Islamabad reiterated that it expects Afghanistan’s interim authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan. The ministry emphasized that protecting Pakistani citizens remains its top priority.
The airstrikes followed recent suicide bombings in Pakistan. Authorities also vowed to avenge the killing of two security personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. Officials warned that they would respond to any attack originating from Afghan soil.
At this stage, independent sources have not confirmed the full extent of casualties.
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