Four civilians killed in Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan, Taliban says

Pakistan conducted a second wave of air strikes on Afghan territory in as many days, hitting multiple provinces including Kandahar. The Taliban government said the strikes killed four civilians and vowed an "appropriate response," while Islamabad maintained the operations targeted military objectives.

According to Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, Pakistani forces struck targets in Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces. In Paktia, officials reported jets bombed the Afghan Armed Forces' 203 Mansouri Corps, which is now under Taliban control, though no casualty figures were disclosed at that location.

In Khost province, local authorities said houses sustained damage from the strikes, with no casualties initially reported. However, residents contradicted the military target designation. Salamat Khan, a local resident, told Reuters that "there is no military base here, nor are there any military personnel," emphasizing "there are only the homes of ordinary civilians."

"People were shouting, and there was panic all around. Afterwards, the village elder arrived and called out to the houses, asking if anyone was killed. Thankfully, no one was killed."

Escalation After Police Attack

The latest strikes mark a sharp reversal after three months of relative calm between the two nations. Fighting reignited following an attack on a mosque at a police compound in north-western Pakistan last week, which killed at least 31 people according to reports.

A faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the police facility attack. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of providing safe haven to the TTP, which has conducted a prolonged violent campaign against Islamabad. The Afghan Taliban denies these accusations, characterizing militancy as Pakistan's internal security matter.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the air strikes as "deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate," asserting they targeted "military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan." He said the operations involved strikes on 10 targets, though specific locations were not disclosed.

Competing Positions and Warnings

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denounced the strikes as "reckless, careless, and hostile," stating the attacks "will have adverse consequences for the Pakistani military." The Taliban government warned of an "appropriate response" to the operations.

Pakistan, for its part, cautioned that any further "provocative act" from Afghanistan would be met with retaliation. The escalating rhetoric and successive waves of strikes underscore deepening tensions between the two neighbors, with each side framing its actions as justified responses to security threats.