Pakistan launches airstrikes on Afghanistan as Kabul reports nine civilian deaths

Strikes in Kunar and Helmand

Pakistani military aircraft carried out late-night airstrikes against targets in eastern and southern Afghanistan late on Wednesday, ending three months of relative calm between the two neighbouring states. The aerial bombardment struck locations in the northeastern province of Kunar and the southern province of Helmand. Officials from both governments confirmed on Thursday, 1 October 2026, that military aircraft operated across both provinces during the night. Afghan Taliban authorities reported that the strikes hit residential quarters and destroyed three homes. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that nine civilians, all women and children, were killed in the attacks, while another 11 people sustained injuries. Mujahid posted an official statement on the social media platform X denouncing the airstrikes as an act of aggression.

We condemn this act and consider it an aggression and crime against all accepted principles.

Disputed accounts of casualties

The Pakistani government released an opposing assessment of the overnight aerial operation. Pakistan's Ministry of Information announced on X that its military struck terrorist camps and hideouts at two distinct locations inside Afghan territory. Official reports cited by the ministry indicated that initial assessments confirmed the deaths of 22 terrorists during the operation. Pakistani officials also stated that security forces destroyed large stockpiles of recovered weapons and ammunition found at the targeted sites. The ministry stated that its strikes strictly engaged armed militants rather than civilian areas. The competing casualty claims and site damage figures have not received independent verification.

Dispute over cross-border militancy

The overnight strikes follow months of rising friction between Islamabad and Kabul regarding border security and cross-border militant operations. Pakistani authorities accuse the Taliban government in Kabul of allowing Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters to utilize Afghan territory to stage attacks within Pakistan. Afghan Taliban officials reject Islamabad's claims, asserting that the violence represents Pakistan's internal domestic problem rather than cross-border facilitation. Bilateral relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul, despite previous historical connections. The latest military strikes ended three months of relative quiet that had prevailed along the shared frontier.

United Nations casualty records

The overnight military strikes add to growing international concern regarding the impact of border violence on local residents. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan stated last week that cross-border violence has caused more than 1,100 civilian casualties, including both deaths and injuries, inside Afghanistan so far this year. United Nations monitoring teams have documented multiple instances of civilian casualties resulting from Pakistani airstrikes in earlier operations along the border. Neither government has scheduled bilateral diplomatic discussions or de-escalation talks following the strikes. Border communities in Helmand and Kunar face continued disruption as security forces on both sides remain deployed along the border.