Afghanistan-Pakistan Tensions Escalate: Kabul Says Airstrikes Kill 9 in Kunar and Helmand
Pakistani military aircraft carried out overnight airstrikes targeting residential areas in eastern and southern Afghanistan, killing at least nine civilians - including women and children - and wounding 11 others, Afghan authorities said on Thursday.
Pakistani military aircraft carried out overnight airstrikes targeting residential areas in eastern and southern Afghanistan, killing at least nine civilians - including women and children - and wounding 11 others, Afghan authorities said on Thursday.
The strikes hit homes in the Chogam area of Shaltan district in Kunar province and the Safar area of Garmsir district in Helmand province, according to Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesperson for the Taliban-led Afghan administration.
Afghan Official Accuses Pakistan of Deadly Airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand
Crime
Last night, Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam, Shultan District of Kunar, and Safar, Garmser District of Helmand. Nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, were killed, 11 were injured, and three homes were destroyed.
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— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) October 1, 2026
Casualties and Damage in Border Provinces
According to Afghan officials, the bombardment flattened three residential compounds across the two provinces. Local authorities reported that rescue workers and residents worked through the morning to retrieve casualties from the debris. Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions: Islamabad Says It Struck 10 Afghan Sites Over Drone Attacks.
Mujahid condemned the operation on social media, describing the strikes as an act of aggression and a direct violation of international law and accepted sovereignty norms.
"Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam, Shultan District of Kunar, and Safar, Garmser District of Helmand," Mujahid stated. "Nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, were killed, 11 were injured, and three homes were destroyed". Pakistan Must Take Credible Action on Cross-Border Terrorism Before World Believes Its Claims: MEA.
Conflicting Accounts on Targets
Pakistani authorities have not released a full operational debrief regarding the specific strikes, though security officials have previously maintained that cross-border counter-terrorism operations target militant safe havens rather than non-combatants. Islamabad has repeatedly pressed Kabul to dismantle hideouts used by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated factions operating along the rugged frontier.
The Afghan administration denies providing sanctuary to armed anti-Pakistan groups and insists that security within Pakistani territory remains Islamabad’s domestic responsibility.
Escalating Cross-Border Friction
The overnight strikes mark a sharp escalation in tensions along the 2,600-kilometre Durand Line. Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated over recurring border clashes, cross-border firing, and disputes regarding border fencing and militant movements.
Previous aerial and artillery incursions by Pakistani forces into Afghan border provinces - including Khost, Paktika, and Kunar - have similarly triggered formal diplomatic protests and retaliatory border fire from Afghan security units. International observers have voiced concern that repeated cross-border strikes risk further destabilising regional security and deepening the humanitarian strain on border communities.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2026 09:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
