Islamabad (October 1, 2026): Pakistan said on Thursday that its forces had carried out airstrikes on two alleged militant positions in Afghanistan based on what it described as “confirmed intelligence”, while Afghan Taliban authorities said the strikes killed nine civilians, including women and children.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes targeted militant organisations, their networks and alleged facilitators with what it described as a high degree of precision. The ministry said 22 suspected militants were killed and a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was destroyed in the operations. Pakistani authorities did not identify the specific locations of the alleged militant targets.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, however, said Pakistani aircraft had targeted civilian homes in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces. Mujahid said on social media platform X that airstrikes had hit homes in the Chawgam area of Kunar and Garmser in Helmand, killing nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, and injuring 11 others. He condemned the strikes as an act of aggression and said the Taliban authorities rejected the action. The claims from both sides could not be independently verified.

Rising Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with relations between the two neighbours deteriorating further in recent days. Pakistan also claimed airstrikes against alleged militant and suicide bomber facilities in Afghanistan on September 21 and September 24.

On September 21, Pakistan said it had targeted positions belonging to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated groups, killing 28 suspected militants. Pakistan said the operation destroyed three targets, including a training facility for suicide bombers, along with weapons and ammunition stored at the sites. The Taliban government subsequently accused Pakistan of targeting civilians and reported deaths, including women, in the strikes.

Pakistan’s Position

Pakistan has long maintained that Afghan territory is being used by militant groups to launch attacks against Pakistan. Pakistani officials have repeatedly called for action against groups including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. The Taliban government denies the allegations and says it will not allow Afghan territory to be used against other countries.

On September 23, Pakistan’s state media, citing security sources, reported that around eight drones approaching from Afghanistan had been intercepted and destroyed in the air. The latest strikes are likely to add to tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The casualty figures and details of the alleged targets provided by both sides have not been independently verified.