Airstrikes in Afghanistan: Pakistan Accused, Tensions Rise

Islamabad, Aug 29 (AP) — Airstrikes in Afghanistan's Nangarhar and Khost provinces, reportedly conducted by Pakistan, resulted in at least three fatalities, seven injuries, and significant property damage, according to Afghan officials and witnesses.

Afghanistan's foreign ministry criticized the strikes as a "provocative act" by Pakistan, summoning the Pakistani ambassador in response. In a statement, the Afghan Defence Ministry condemned the attacks, stating they would only deepen animosity between the neighboring Muslim nations. "Such barbaric and brutal actions benefit neither sides; rather intensify the distance between the two Muslim nations and fuel hatred. These irresponsible activities will have consequences," it wrote on the social media platform X.

To date, neither the Pakistani government nor its military has responded to these allegations. Historically, Kabul has accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes within Afghanistan targeting suspected hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban. This militant group, banned in Pakistan, has been blamed for some of the country's most severe terrorist incidents.

In Nangarhar's Shinwari district, residents dealt with the aftermath, combing through debris for belongings. Shah Sawar, a resident, recounted, "They dropped the first big bomb on my house. My house was completely destroyed. First I pulled a child out of the rubble, then I pulled four children and a woman out." Nangarhar's deputy governor, Maulvi Azizullah Mustafa, claimed the attacks were conducted by Pakistani drones. The Afghan foreign ministry reported three deaths and seven injuries across Nangarhar and Khost.

Previously, in December 2024, Kabul accused Pakistan of airstrikes on the Pakistani Taliban's suspected hideouts in Paktika province, but Pakistan did not acknowledge those strikes. Kabul claimed to have retaliated by hitting targets within Pakistan.

This incident follows a meeting just a week earlier in Kabul among senior diplomats from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan, who vowed improved cooperation to combat terrorism. Recently, Pakistan and Afghanistan sought to enhance their diplomatic relations, though tensions have persisted since the Afghan Taliban's rise to power in 2021. These strains largely stem from alleged Afghan support for the Pakistani Taliban, which has increased its attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban, a group distinct yet closely allied with the Afghan Taliban. Kabul counters this assertion, insisting it does not permit its territory to be used against other nations. (AP)

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