Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of targeting homes in airstrikes that kill at least 6 civilians

Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on civilian areas , saying at least six civilians were killed and more than a dozen injured in overnight attacks as tensions between the two neighbours continued to escalate.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft struck several locations, including residential areas in Kabul and other provinces. In posts on X, Mujahid alleged that the strikes also hit fuel depots belonging to Kam Air near Kandahar airport , a facility he said supplies fuel to civilian airlines as well as aircraft operated by the United Nations .

Afghan officials also reported casualties in other regions. Authorities in Nangarhar province said a Pakistani mortar shell killed a woman and a child, while police in Kabul confirmed that several civilians, including children, were among the victims. The total number of casualties across affected areas remained unclear.

Pakistan, however, rejected the allegation that civilian areas were deliberately targeted. State-run media reported that the country’s armed forces carried out “successful airstrikes inside Afghanistan” , saying the operation targeted four alleged militant hideouts and their support infrastructure . Pakistani officials said the strikes were aimed at groups linked to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) , which Islamabad accuses of launching attacks from Afghan territory.

The developments come amid a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries, which Pakistan has described as “open war.” The dispute stems from Pakistan’s longstanding claim that Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities are harbouring militant groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan , an accusation the Taliban government has repeatedly denied.

Hostilities between the neighbours intensified in late February , when cross-border strikes began targeting military installations. Afghan authorities said their air force responded to the latest attacks by striking Pakistani military positions in Kohat district , claiming heavy losses. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information dismissed those claims as baseless , saying its forces had instead shot down three rudimentary drones allegedly launched by militants.

Diplomatic efforts to calm the situation have so far failed. China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong , recently met Pakistan’s envoy Mohammad Sadiq in Islamabad to discuss security concerns and the need for collective efforts to stabilise the region.

Meanwhile, violence also continued inside Pakistan. A roadside bomb attack targeting a police vehicle killed six officers in Lakki Marwat district , an incident authorities suspect may be linked to the TTP. The attack highlights the fragile security situation along the border as the conflict between the two countries deepens.