Pakistan conducted rare airstrikes in Afghanistan on Tuesday, targeting suspected Taliban shelters. This resulted in significant civilian casualties and continued tensions between the two neighbors. Since then, the Taliban have sworn to retaliate and called these attacks an invasion of their authority.
According to reports, the airstrikes that targeted the Barmal district in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province not only destroyed a militant training center but also caused extensive destruction and civilian deaths. Khaama Press, a media outlet based in Afghanistan, reported at least 15 deaths, among them women and children. The death toll is expected to increase as the recovery effort continues. Laman, which was severely affected, suffered five deaths in a family, and Murg Bazaar, whose village was destroyed. This exacerbated the humanitarian crisis that is currently occurring.
Pakistan has conducted a similar operation since March, when it targeted Afghan border areas with intelligence-based attacks. The Taliban Ministry of Defense issued a statement condemning the attacks, vowing retaliation, and asserting the right to defend Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The Islamic Emirate would not let this cowardly attack go unanswered; read a message on the X Platform (formerly Twitter). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs worried that such unilateral actions do not determine issues and called on Pakistan to rethink its procedure.
Airstrikes are being carried out against a backdrop of increasing hostilities between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban forces. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban. Over the previous year, TTP raids have strengthened against Pakistani Army forces. Many soldiers were killed or injured in fights.
The TTP began this escalation in November 2022 when it unilaterally ended a ceasefire with Pakistan after failed negotiations in Kabul hosted by the Afghan nation.
As well, the timing of these strikes raises concerns for diplomatic reasons. They occurred just after Pakistani Special Representative Mohammad Sadiq had visited Kabul in order to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade relations. These recent events complicate the dynamics of the region, which is already fragile.
Many viewers believe that the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of authority in Afghanistan in August 2021 has supported the Pakistani Taliban because it allows its soldiers and administrators to seek shelter on the other side of the border. Pakistan has voiced worry over the growing power of TTP, which led to an increase in military actions and tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
