Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan: UN reports at least 28 civilians killed, tensions escalate

At least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others wounded in airstrikes carried out by Pakistan near the Afghan border, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). This latest toll fuels concerns about a possible escalation between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban authorities.

Pakistani security forces claim to have targeted armed groups operating from Afghan territory. According to Islamabad, air and ground operations killed at least 29 militants, including 25 in strikes conducted in the Afghan provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar. Pakistani authorities also report destroying significant quantities of weapons and ammunition.

For their part, the Afghan Taliban dispute this version of events and claim that the bombings primarily targeted civilians. Afghan government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat stated that the strikes killed at least 38 people and wounded 163, including women and children.

UNAMA stated that the number of victims could still rise, as several injured people are still receiving treatment in hospitals. The organization is continuing to assess the situation on the ground in order to establish a more precise count.

These strikes constitute the second air operation carried out by Pakistan against targets located in Afghanistan and described as militant positions. They come after several months of tensions between the two countries, which had already experienced their most violent clashes in years in February.

Pakistan regularly accuses the Afghan Taliban authorities of harboring members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it holds responsible for numerous attacks on its territory. Kabul rejects these accusations, asserting that the TTP insurgency is solely Pakistan's internal affair. This latest outbreak of violence raises fears of a further deterioration in relations between the two neighbors.