Pakistan conducted airstrikes early Thursday on ten sites in the Afghan provinces of Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost in response to alleged drone attacks from the Taliban against Pakistani border posts the previous day. The strikes killed four civilians according to an Afghan government spokesperson. Pakistan's information minister confirmed the actions, stating they were a proportional retaliation for militant activities, while the Taliban rejected Pakistan’s claims and warned of further consequences. This escalation threatens ongoing international mediation efforts aimed at resolving tensions between the two countries.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 21, Pakistani jet fighters conducted airstrikes in northeastern Afghanistan, reportedly targeting suspected militant hideouts. Afghan officials reported at least three civilian deaths and several injuries, while Pakistan claimed it killed 28 militants. The strikes occurred after two deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces near the border. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned of a "crushing response" if Afghan territory was violated again. A second round of airstrikes by Pakistan hit southern and eastern Afghan provinces (Kandahar, Paktia, Khost) on September 24, reportedly in retaliation for drone attacks from Afghanistan the previous day, killing four more civilians according to Taliban officials.
Written for “Pakistani Airstrikes In Afghanistan” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
Pakistan launches airstrikes on 3 Afghan provinces as hostilities with Taliban escalate
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hostilities → launch → Taliban
Pakistan said the strikes were a response to Taliban drone strikes
Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes early Thursday on 10 sites in Afghanistan that it said were used to launch drone attacks against Pakistan a day earlier, a sharp escalation in recent fighting between the two countries that threatens international mediation efforts.
The airstrikes struck southern and eastern Afghan provinces of Kandahar, Paktia and Khost, killing four civilians, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.
"These shameless acts of aggression and attacks by the Pakistani military regime will be met with an appropriate response," he said.
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he → say → response
The announcement of the strikes by Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar in a post on X came after officials said Afghanistan's Taliban forces had fired eight drones and shelled Pakistani border posts after Pakistani troops foiled what they described as a cross-border infiltration attempt by militants.
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they → come → militants
Mujahid rejected Pakistan's claims of drone attacks and warned of "consequences" for Pakistan over its airstrikes.
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Mujahid → reject → airstrikes
The conflicting statements about the drone attacks came two days after Pakistani fighter jets struck sites in eastern Afghanistan that Islamabad said were militant hideouts.
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Islamabad → come → Afghanistan
The escalation threatens mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to broker a lasting peace between Kabul and Islamabad.
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escalation → threaten → Kabul
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of allowing militants to operate from its territory and carry out attacks across the border — an accusation Kabul denies.
"Instead of dismantling these networks and taking credible and verifiable action against those using Afghan territory to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban regime has chosen to escalate the situation through hostile drone operations against Pakistan," Tarar said.
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Tarar → accuse → Pakistan
"The strikes were deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate, and strictly limited to identified military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan," he added.
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he → limit → Pakistan
Earlier shootout in Pakistani province
Pakistani officials also claimed Wednesday that security forces had neutralized eight rudimentary drones launched by the Afghan Taliban before they could enter the northwestern city of Kohat and the border town of Torkham, and that Afghan forces fired mortars and other heavy weapons at Pakistani border posts.
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forces → claim → posts
Pakistani forces responded with artillery fire targeting Taliban border posts, mortar sites and defensive positions, they said.
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they → respond → posts
The four officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media about the latest flare-up.
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they → speak → up
In Monday's airstrikes, Pakistan's Information Ministry said 28 militants were killed, while Afghan authorities said at least three civilians died and four others were wounded.
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others → say → airstrikes
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan confirmed the civilian casualties and Kabul formally protested the attack.
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Kabul → confirm → attack
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed concern about what he said was the presence of more than two dozen anti-Pakistani militant groups in Afghanistan.
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he → express → Afghanistan
Monday's Pakistani airstrikes followed a shootout with militants in Hangu, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, that killed six Pakistani security personnel.
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that → follow → personnel
Days earlier, a suicide bomber struck a mosque inside a police compound in the nearby city of Kohat.
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bomber → strike → Kohat
Eight gunmen then stormed the compound, triggering a 20-hour gunbattle that killed at least 21 people, most of them police officers.
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most → storm → them
No group had claimed responsibility for the attacks.
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group → claim → attacks
Pakistani authorities blamed the violence on the Pakistani Taliban and allied militant groups.
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authorities → blame → Taliban
The Pakistani Taliban — formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan — have stepped up their attacks on Pakistani security forces, boosted by the Afghan Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
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Taliban → know → 2021
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