Four civilians killed in latest Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan, Taliban says

Afghanistan's Taliban government says a fresh wave of Pakistani air strikes has killed four civilians, marking a further escalation in tensions between the neighbouring countries. The strikes hit several provinces, including Kandahar, a key stronghold of Taliban power. A local resident told AFP news agency he heard a jet overhead, followed by a loud explosion and a fire in the city.

Pakistan said its forces had hit 10 targets inside Afghanistan without disclosing exact locations, describing the strikes as "strictly limited to identified military objectives." This marks the second wave of Pakistani air strikes on Afghan soil within a week, coming after a deadly attack on a police facility in Pakistan on 18 September.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed strikes hit Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces. In Paktia, an official said jets bombed a Taliban-controlled army corps, with no casualty information provided. In Khost, houses were damaged but no deaths were reported. One local resident told Reuters the strikes occurred around midnight, causing panic, though thankfully no one was killed. Another resident insisted there was no military base in the area, only civilian homes.

Mujahid described the strikes as "reckless and hostile," warning of consequences for Pakistan's military. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the operation was "deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate."

Background of tensions

The two sides had maintained roughly three months of relative calm before fighting reignited following an attack on a mosque inside a police compound in northwestern Pakistan, which killed at least 31 people. A group linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring the group, an allegation the Taliban government denies.

The UN mission Unama reported in July that cross-border violence between October 2025 and June 2026 killed at least 499 civilians. The deadliest single incident occurred in March, when a Pakistani air strike on Kabul killed more than 269 people. A ceasefire agreed at that time has failed to produce a lasting resolution.