Pakistan says 22 terrorists killed in Afghanistan strikes amid Taliban row

Pakistani officials announced on Tuesday that a series of air strikes carried out by the military in Afghanistan had killed 22 individuals they described as terrorists, a claim that has heightened tensions with the Taliban‑run government in Kabul. The operation, which Pakistan’s defence ministry said was conducted in response to cross‑border attacks on security forces, targeted camps in the eastern provinces of Khost and Paktika. Islamabad said the strikes were a “necessary and proportionate” measure to neutralise militant groups that it accused of using Afghan territory as a safe haven to launch attacks on Pakistani soil.The Pakistani statement came after a wave of rocket and mortar fire from Afghan soil struck several outposts along the border in the preceding weeks, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers and injuring dozens more..

In a televised briefing, army chief General Asim Munir reiterated that the strikes were aimed at “elements that have repeatedly violated our sovereignty and jeopardised the lives of our citizens.” He added that the operation was limited to specific locations identified through intelligence cooperation with Afghan authorities, although he declined to provide further details about the exact sites or the identities of those killed.The Taliban‑led administration in Kabul, which has been in power since August 2021, has condemned the strikes as a breach of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and a violation of the Doha Agreement signed between the two nations in 2020. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Taliban called the attacks “unjustified and illegal,” urging Pakistan to “respect the inviolability of Afghan territory” and to refrain from any further unilateral military actions. The statement also warned that Afghanistan would consider “appropriate measures” in response, though it stopped short of specifying what those measures might entail.Analysts note that the episode underscores the fragile nature of the security arrangement that underpins the Doha Agreement, which obliges Pakistan to prevent extremist groups from using its soil to attack Afghanistan, while Afghanistan is required to stop militants from using its territory to launch attacks on Pakistan..

Since the Taliban’s takeover, the border region, known as the Durand Line, has become increasingly porous, with a myriad of armed factions—ranging from the Afghan Taliban’s own splinter groups to the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province—exploiting the vacuum. The recent Pakistani strikes may reflect a growing impatience with the inability of the Kabul administration to curb these elements.International observers have expressed concern that the escalation could destabilise an already volatile region. A senior United Nations official in Geneva urged both sides to “exercise maximum restraint” and to return to dialogue, emphasizing that any further use of force could trigger a spiral of retaliation..

The United States, which maintains a diplomatic foothold in Afghanistan through its embassy in Doha, also called for “a measured response” and reiterated its support for the Doha framework as the basis for any security cooperation.In Islamabad, the defence ministry said that the strikes were coordinated with Afghan security agencies, a claim that the Taliban has categorically denied. The Pakistani narrative asserts that prior to the operation, Islamabad had shared intelligence with Kabul and that the Afghan side had failed to act, compelling Pakistan to take “decisive” action to protect its citizens. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the coordination involved a series of meetings between senior officers from both countries in the weeks preceding the attacks, but that disagreements over the scope of the operation persisted.The incident has also sparked debate within Pakistan’s political establishment..

Opposition parties have criticised the government’s decision to launch cross‑border strikes, arguing that such actions could inflame anti‑government sentiment in the tribal areas and jeopardise peace talks with other insurgent groups. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition defended the operation as a lawful exercise of Pakistan’s right to self‑defence under international law, citing the repeated incursions that have cost Pakistani lives and disrupted civilian activities in border districts.On the ground, residents of the affected Afghan provinces reported hearing loud explosions and seeing smoke rise from the targeted sites. Local humanitarian organisations warned that the strikes could exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation, with thousands of internally displaced people already living in makeshift camps due to ongoing conflict and climate‑related disasters..

Aid agencies have called for unhindered access to the region to deliver assistance, stressing that any further hostilities could impede relief operations and increase civilian suffering.The diplomatic fallout is likely to unfold in the coming weeks as both governments navigate a delicate balance between security imperatives and the need to maintain a functional relationship. Afghanistan’s foreign ministry announced that it would summon the Pakistani ambassador for a formal protest, while Pakistan signalled its willingness to engage in “constructive dialogue” to resolve any misunderstandings. Observers suggest that the next steps will hinge on whether Kabul can demonstrate tangible progress in curbing militant activity, and whether Islamabad is prepared to pursue a more nuanced, intelligence‑driven approach rather than relying on kinetic strikes.As the border dispute intensifies, the broader regional implications cannot be ignored..

Both countries share a 2,670‑kilometre frontier that traverses rugged terrain and sparsely populated tribal areas, making effective monitoring a persistent challenge. The episode adds pressure on neighbouring Iran and India, each of which monitors the situation closely due to its own security concerns and strategic interests. With the Afghan economy in a state of collapse and Pakistan grappling with its own internal security and political crises, the risk of a protracted escalation remains a pressing worry for the international community, which continues to urge restraint and diplomatic engagement as the only viable path to lasting stability..