Afghanistan and Pakistan trade claims over civilian and militant deaths in airstrikes

Afghanistan and Pakistan exchanged conflicting claims over casualties from the latest cross-border airstrikes on Thursday as tensions between the two neighbours continued to rise.

Pakistan said its forces had killed 22 “terrorists” in strikes on alleged militant hideouts in Afghanistan, according to the country’s Information Ministry.

Pakistan says militant sites were targeted

The ministry said the strikes were based on “credible intelligence” and targeted camps and hideouts belonging to groups it referred to as “Fitna al Khwarij”, “Fitna al Hindustan” and their affiliates. Pakistan alleges the militants are backed by India and Afghanistan. Both countries reject those allegations.

Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at the sites were also destroyed, the ministry said. It described the operation as the third round of airstrikes in two weeks.

“Our action precisely targeted the terrorist hubs. Maximum precautions were taken and it was ensured that no collateral damage occurs,” the ministry said.

Kabul reports civilian casualties

Afghanistan rejected Pakistan’s account, saying the strikes hit civilian homes and killed nine people, including women and children. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said 11 others were injured.

“Last night, Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam, Shultan district of Kunar, and Safar, Garmser district of Helmand. Nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, were killed, 11 were injured, and three homes were destroyed,” Mujahid said in a post on “X”, the social media platform owned by “X Corp.”

The latest escalation follows a series of militant attacks in Pakistan last month that killed dozens of security personnel and civilians.

Islamabad blamed “Afghanistan-based” militant groups and said it had conducted airstrikes against alleged militant camps, killing scores of “terrorists” over the past two weeks.

Kabul has rejected Pakistan’s claims about militant casualties, maintaining that civilians were among those killed and injured in the strikes.