Pakistan Launches Airstrikes in 2 Afghan Provinces, Killing 9 Civilians or 22 Militants
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Oct 1
Pakistan Launches Airstrikes in 2 Afghan Provinces, Killing 9 Civilians or 22 Militants
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Oct 1
Summary
Overnight strikes hit Helmand and Kunar, with the Taliban government saying three homes were bombed, killing nine women and children and wounding 11.
Pakistan said the operation targeted militant hideouts, killed 22 militants, destroyed weapons and ammunition, and was carried out with "precision and accuracy" without collateral damage.
The raids were Pakistan's third strikes inside Afghanistan in two weeks, driven by Islamabad's accusation that Kabul shelters militants behind cross-border attacks—an allegation the Taliban denies.
Cross-border tensions have worsened since the Taliban returned to power in 2021; peace talks in April failed to stop flare-ups, border closures have disrupted aid flows, and the UN said more than 1,100 Afghan civilians were killed or injured this year.