Taliban Alleges Pakistani Airstrikes Kill Civilians in Eastern Afghanistan

Kabul: The Taliban administration has accused Pakistan of carrying out fresh airstrikes on civilian areas in eastern Afghanistan, claiming that dozens of people, including women and children, were killed or injured in the attacks.

According to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the strikes took place on Sunday night in the Gayan district of Paktika Province, the Tsamkani district of Paktia Province and the Manogai district of Kunar Province.

In a statement posted on X, Mujahid condemned what he described as a "cowardly act of aggression" by the Pakistani military, alleging that the attacks targeted civilian areas and resulted in heavy casualties.

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"The attacks resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of civilians, including women and children. We strongly condemn this act of aggression and consider it a crime and an act of brutality," he said.

The reported strikes come amid heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with relations deteriorating in recent months due to repeated cross-border incidents and accusations from both sides.

Former US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad also criticised the reported airstrikes, saying Pakistan had ignored repeated calls from the international community and many within Pakistan to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than military action.

In a post on X, Khalilzad said he had consistently condemned the killing of innocent Afghan civilians and questioned whether Islamabad was genuinely seeking a negotiated settlement with the Taliban-led government.

He further suggested that Pakistan's actions could indicate broader strategic objectives, including keeping Afghanistan unstable or increasing Chinese influence in the country. Khalilzad argued that if such motives were driving Islamabad's policy, they would run counter to US interests by creating conditions that could benefit extremist groups such as Islamic State – Khorasan Province and expand China's regional influence.

Earlier this month, Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan's chargé d'affaires in Kabul to lodge a formal protest over alleged violations of Afghan airspace and previous airstrikes on residential areas.

According to the Taliban, those earlier strikes on June 9 in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces killed 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman and an elderly man, while 14 women and children were reportedly injured.

Pakistan had not issued an official response to the latest allegations at the time of reporting. The casualty figures and details provided by the Taliban have not been independently verified.

With inputs from IANS