Kabul, October 1: At least nine people, including women and children, were killed and 11 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan, the Afghan government said on Thursday, as tensions between the two neighbours continue to escalate.
Afghan government chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes targeted residential areas and destroyed three houses in Kunar and Helmand provinces.
In a statement shared on X, Mujahid condemned the strikes, saying they amounted to aggression against Afghanistan.
“We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles,” Mujahid said.
The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad repeatedly accusing Kabul of allowing militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from Afghan territory.
Afghan authorities have rejected the allegations, maintaining that Pakistan’s accusations are unfounded.
The Afghan government said the latest bombardment had resulted in further civilian casualties, including women and children, and accused Pakistan of carrying out military operations inside Afghan territory.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported last week that more than 1,100 civilian casualties had been documented from cross-border violence so far this year.
Pakistan has previously denied deliberately targeting civilians during its military operations and has maintained that its actions are directed at militant threats.
The latest strikes add to a series of cross-border incidents that have further strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides trading accusations over militant activity and security along their shared border.
Afghan authorities said the casualty figures could rise as assessments of the affected areas continue.
