Afghanistan Accuses Pakistan of Striking Civilians; Islamabad Denies

Tensions have resurfaced along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, with the Afghan government accusing the Pakistani army of carrying out airstrikes on three eastern provinces, resulting—according to Kabul—in civilian casualties.
Islamabad, however, categorically denied targeting any civilian sites, asserting that its military operations are usually conducted with transparency. Pakistan Armed Forces spokesperson General Ahmed Sharif stated that the country is “not against the Afghan people but against terrorism.”
Regarding efforts to resume trade, which has been suspended for six months, the military official emphasized that bloodshed cannot coincide with economic exchanges.
In a simultaneous statement, military spokesperson Ahmed Chaudhry told official media that Pakistan “did not attack Afghanistan,” labeling Kabul’s accusations as “baseless,” and affirmed that the army takes responsibility only for operations it officially announces.
On Tuesday, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid vowed to respond “appropriately and at the right time” to the Pakistani strikes, which reportedly killed nine children and a woman.
Earlier, the Afghan government confirmed that Pakistan had bombed a civilian home in Khost province, killing ten people: five boys, four girls, and a woman. Additional strikes occurred in Kunar and Paktika provinces, injuring four more individuals.
Amid the rising tension, Pakistan’s consul in Jalalabad reportedly met with the governor of Nangarhar province, aligned with the Taliban-led Afghan government. According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the meeting followed an attack on a Frontier Corps post in Peshawar and aimed to de-escalate tensions and restore communication channels between the two sides.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated recently over security issues related to migration, reaching their lowest point in years after last month’s border clashes, which left over 70 people dead on both sides.
The two countries had signed a ceasefire agreement in Doha in October, but peace talks in Turkey collapsed without achieving a long-term deal.