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Pakistan's military said it intercepted four rudimentary drones fired from Afghanistan, as cross-border hostilities between the neighbours escalated sharply in recent days. The Afghan Taliban government, meanwhile, said it had conducted air strikes on targets in Pakistan. Both sides have traded blame over the escalating violence, which comes after months of relative calm.

Coverage Analysis

According to reports from Al Jazeera and the BBC, the sequence began with Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory on Sundayцентр. The Afghan government reported that those strikes killed 36 civilians)Skip. The UN, however, put the death toll at 28. Pakistan said the strikes targeted militant hideouts in Afghanistan's Paktika, Paktika and Kunar provinces.

The Taliban government, which controls Afghanistan, vowed a response to the Pakistani air attacks. On Wednesday, Afghanistan's defence ministry said it carried out air strikes in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, targeting what it described as an ISIL affiliate's centre. Pakistan's military responded by saying it had intercepted four "rudimentary drones" launched from Afghanistan into Balochistan, describing them as "hostile aerial platforms" that were "immediately picked up."

The exchange marks an escalation after a period of relative calm. The two countries had agreed to a ceasefire in October following weeks of deadly clashes.

The BBC reported that Pakistan said its strikes on Sunday were part of a ground operation and air strikes targeting militant hideouts in Afghanistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border region, with Pakistan's information minister saying 26 militants had been killed. The Taliban government rejected this, saying the strikes had hit civilian homes and killed women and children.

Key claims

  • Pakistan intercepted four drones: Pakistan's military said it intercepted four drones launched by Afghan Taliban forces into Balochistan on [date]. The claim could not be independently verified.
  • Afghanistan carried out cross-border strikes: Afghanistan's defence ministry said it carried out air strikes in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeting an ISIL (ISIS) centre.
  • Civilian casualties: The UN reportedly said Sunday's Pakistani strikes killed 28 civilians, while Afghanistan's Taliban government put the death toll at 36 and said more than 160 were injured.
  • Causal accusations: Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring terrorists; Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of unprovoked attacks. Both sides blame each other for the violence.

Perspectives

Pakistan's perspective: The military frames its actions as counterterrorism, saying it struck militant hideouts in Afghanistan after an attack in Karachi. It says its operation was justified and that it will respond forcefully to any further aggression.

Afghanistan Taliban government's perspective: It describes the Pakistani strikes as a "cowardly act" and an "atrocity," saying civilians were killed. It denies harbouring terrorists and says its own strikes were precise, targeting only elements of an ISIL affiliate.

UN's perspective: The UN has provided a casualty figure of 28 civilians killed in the Pakistani strikes, a figure that has not been reconciled with the Taliban's estimate.

Independent observers: Reports from both sides cannot be independently verified, and the border region remains contested.

Background

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have a long history, rooted in disputes over the border, the presence of militant groups, and the treatment of refugees. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of providing safe haven to militants who launch attacks on Pakistani soil, a charge the Taliban government denies. The recent exchanges mark an escalation after a ceasefire in October brought weeks of fighting to a close.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, cross-border attacks have increased, though the two sides have also engaged in talks. The current flare-up underscores the fragility of the border region's stability.