Islamabad says 22 militants were killed in strikes on alleged militant camps, while Afghan Taliban authorities report nine civilian deaths and 11 injuries
Pakistan has carried out a new round of air strikes inside Afghanistan, with Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban providing sharply different accounts of the targets and casualties.
Pakistan’s information ministry confirmed the strikes, saying the operation killed 22 militants. According to Islamabad, the attacks were “well-planned and calibrated” and targeted what it described as terrorist camps containing significant quantities of weapons and ammunition.
The ministry maintained that maximum precautions were taken to prevent collateral damage during the operation.
Afghan Taliban authorities, however, said the strikes hit residential areas in the provinces of Kunar and Helmand, both of which border Pakistan. Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said nine civilians were killed and another 11 wounded, adding that women and children were among the casualties.
Mujahid condemned the strikes, describing them as an act of aggression and a violation of accepted principles.
Witness Describes Overnight Strikes
An eyewitness from Garmsir, identified as Qudratullah, told the BBC that the air strikes began at around 3:30am local time and continued for approximately half an hour.
He said residents were asleep when the aircraft arrived and were awakened by the first explosion. According to his account, families began fleeing after subsequent strikes, while another bomb struck a neighbouring house, killing several members of one family and injuring others.
The differing accounts from Islamabad and Kabul present conflicting claims over whether the operation caused civilian casualties.
Pakistan Says Militant Camps Were Targeted
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of allowing militant organisations to use Afghan territory to plan and conduct attacks inside Pakistan.
The latest strikes reflect the continuing security tensions between the neighbouring countries over the presence and activities of militant groups operating from Afghanistan.
While Pakistan says its latest operation specifically targeted militant infrastructure, Afghan Taliban authorities maintain that civilian homes were struck.
The competing claims over casualties and targets add another layer of tension to already strained relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration in Kabul.
