Three killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan, officials say
Pakistani airstrikes in northeastern Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of three civilians, threatening to destabilize the fragile peace between the two nations. The conflict is rooted in ongoing disputes regarding cross-border militancy and security.
Why it matters
The incident marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, potentially leading to further military confrontation between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government.
At least three people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on northeastern Afghanistan on Monday (September 21, 2026), Afghan officials said, threatening to reignite tensions between the neighbours after about three months of relative calm.
Relations between the former allies have remained strained since February, when the two sides fought their worst clashes in years.
The dispute centres on militancy in Pakistan, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militants who stage cross-border attacks from Afghan territory. Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies the charges and says militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem.
The airstrikes came days after a police facility in northwestern Pakistan was attacked, killing at least 16 people.
At least one house in Kunar province was hit in the strikes, killing three members of the same family and injuring four others, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Taliban government, said in a post on X.
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