ISLAMABAD — Pakistani forces carried out ground operations and airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, killing dozens, officials from both sides said on Monday amid renewed border tensions.
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said security forces targeted militant hideouts in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces overnight, destroying three sites in what he described as precision strikes following a ground operation. Tarar said the actions killed 25 militants and focused on safe havens used by groups threatening Pakistan.
Afghan Taliban officials reported dozens of casualties, including civilians, from the strikes. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the attacks, saying they hit civilian areas and caused deaths and injuries among women and children, according to local reports. Taliban sources cited figures as high as 100 killed or wounded in the combined operations, though independent verification was not immediately available.
The strikes come as cross-border violence has flared periodically since early 2026, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants responsible for attacks inside its territory. Kabul denies the allegations and has previously launched retaliatory actions.
No immediate comment was available from international observers on the latest casualty toll or the precise locations hit. The situation along the porous 2,600-km (1,615-mile) border remains fluid, with both sides reporting ongoing military activity.
The developments follow a period of relative calm after earlier escalations earlier this year. Further details on the operations were still emerging.
