Pakistani airstrikes have left more than 80 people dead inAfghanistan's Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces, Geo News reported, citing Islamabad's security sources. Islamabad conducted multiple strikes in the region over the weekend in response to recent suicide attacks for which they have blamed Kabul. The situation along the border remains tense amid continued accusations and counter-accusations between the two neighbours.
Earlier, Pakistan's State Minister for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, said nearly 70 militants had been "neutralised" in the cross-border operation. The government stated that the strikes targeted camps belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, a term used by Pakistani authorities for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, its affiliates, and Islamic State - Khorasan Province (Daesh-Khorasan). The latest strikes follow a surge in violence in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
The targeted locations reportedly included "New Centre No. 1 and New Centre No. 2 in Nangarhar, Khwariji Maulvi Abbas Centre in Khost, Khwariji Islam Centre and Khwariji Ibrahim Centre in Nangarhar, and Khwariji Mullah Rahbar and Khwariji Mukhlis Yar in Paktika."
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In the aftermath of the strikes, senior Taliban figures reportedly convened emergency meetings to deliberate on possible countermeasures, signaling that the situation is being treated with the utmost urgency at the highest levels. In a strongly worded statement, the group said the timing and nature of any retaliation would be determined by its leadership but made clear that a response remains firmly on the table.
Speaking to the Geo News programme "Geo Pakistan," Talal Chaudhry alleged that Afghanistan had become a source of cross-border militancy. He said Pakistan was taking necessary measures to safeguard its citizens and highlighted that around 70,000 intelligence-based operations had been conducted domestically, resulting in multiple arrests. He also referred to the 2020 Doha Agreement, stating that the Afghan Taliban had pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used for terrorism and alleged that Kabul's interim administration had failed to curb militant activity.
Despite Islamabad's claims, Pakistan itself has long faced international scrutiny for providing safe havens and logistical support to various terror outfits operating across the region.
Meanwhile, Kabul has categorically rejected Islamabad's allegations that militant groups operate from Afghan territory, maintaining that Pakistan's security challenges are an internal matter.
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have escalated in recent years, particularly since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. In October 2025, border clashes between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban fighters reportedly resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Despite multiple rounds of talks, both countries have struggled to achieve lasting de-escalation.
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