KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan on Friday killed four people in Kabul, Afghan authorities said, escalating a conflict that has seen both countries launch attacks across their shared border. The strikes targeted residential areas of the capital, according to Khalil Zadran, a Kabul police spokesperson, with women and children among the casualties. Fifteen others were wounded.
The Pakistani military confirmed conducting strikes overnight, stating they targeted the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group operating from Afghan soil. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban government of harboring the TTP, which has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks within Pakistan.
The recent escalation began in late February when Afghanistan launched an offensive along the frontier in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan then declared what its defense minister termed “open war” against the Taliban authorities, bombing Kabul on February 27.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that Pakistani military operations between February 26 and March 5 resulted in the deaths of 56 civilians, including 24 children. Approximately 115,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting, according to the UN refugee agency.
Further strikes Friday extended beyond Kabul, hitting the southern province of Kandahar, including a fuel depot serving civilian airlines and UN aircraft, and the eastern provinces of Paktia and Paktika, according to Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
The Taliban government denies any involvement with the TTP or allowing Afghan territory to be used for militant activity. Despite these denials, Pakistan maintains its strikes are necessary to address the growing threat of militancy.
Casualty claims from both sides remain difficult to independently verify. Cross-border clashes have intensified in recent weeks, disrupting trade and forcing residents to flee their homes. Earlier this week, Afghan authorities reported four members of the same family were killed by Pakistani artillery fire in Khost province.
The conflict underscores the fragile security situation in the region and raises concerns about the humanitarian impact on civilians.
