Pakistani fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes across the border into Afghanistan’s southeastern provinces on Monday, killing at least 46 people, according to Afghan officials. The strikes, which targeted villages in Khost and Kunar provinces, mark a significant escalation in cross-border tensions between the two neighbours.
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty and warned of retaliation. “This act of aggression will not go unanswered,” said a spokesman for the Taliban government. “The Pakistani military has chosen confrontation over dialogue.”
The Pakistani government stated that the strikes were aimed at militant hideouts linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, a militant group responsible for attacks on Pakistani soil. A senior Pakistani military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation was “a legitimate act of self-defence” and that “the Afghan Taliban have failed to prevent their territory from being used against us.”
The airstrikes represent the deadliest cross-border incident since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent months, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban government of harbouring militants who carry out attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban, in turn, accuses Pakistan of allowing its airspace to be used by the United States for drone strikes.
The scale of the attack and the potential for further escalation have alarmed regional capitals. China, a close ally of both countries, called for restraint. “All parties should remain calm and avoid actions that could lead to conflict,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson.
The United Nations also expressed concern. “We are deeply worried about the civilian casualties and the risk of a broader conflagration,” said a UN spokesman.
Analysts say the strikes could trigger a cycle of retaliation, destabilising an already fragile region. “This is the most serious breach of the border since the Taliban takeover,” said Dr. Ayesha Khan, a security analyst based in Islamabad. “The Taliban have their own internal pressures and may feel compelled to respond, even if that is against their interests.”
Afghanistan’s economy is in a state of collapse, with millions facing hunger and the state largely dependent on international aid. The Taliban government has not been officially recognised by any country, and its leadership has shown a pragmatic streak in its foreign policy, seeking trade and investment from neighbours including Pakistan, China, and Central Asian states.
However, the strikes could unify Taliban factions against a common enemy. “There is a risk that the hardliners within the Taliban will now push for a more confrontational stance toward Pakistan,” said Khan.
For Pakistan, the airstrikes represent a gamble. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government faces domestic political turmoil and a struggling economy. The military, which has long fought the Pakistani Taliban, is under pressure to demonstrate results. Yet by acting unilaterally, Pakistan risks alienating its key ally, China, and provoking a crisis it cannot control.
The United States, which maintains a distant diplomatic presence in Kabul, has not commented directly but has encouraged both sides to pursue dialogue. A State Department spokesperson said the US was “monitoring the situation closely” and urged “all parties to exercise restraint.”
In the villages hit by the strikes, residents were burying the dead on Tuesday. Local hospitals reported that many of the casualties were women and children. “The jets came at dawn without warning,” said a survivor in Khost province. “They bombed houses and killed innocent people.”
The Taliban government has dispatched reinforcements to the border areas and deployed air defence systems, according to local officials. The Pakistani military has also heightened alert levels along the frontier.
As the situation develops, the risk of a broader conflict looms. If the Taliban follows through on its threats of retaliation, it could draw in other actors, including insurgent groups operating in the region. The stability of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, already porous and contested, hangs in the balance.
