Pakistan strikes militant hideouts on Afghan border after surge in attacks, launching what Islamabad described as “intelligence-based, selective operations” against militant camps across the frontier, as regional tensions escalated following a wave of deadly assaults targeting Pakistani security forces.
The cross-border strikes, carried out late Saturday, have drawn sharp condemnation from Afghan authorities, who accused Pakistan of violating sovereignty and causing civilian casualties.
The decision by Pakistan to strike targets inside neighboring Afghanistan came after weeks of mounting pressure on Islamabad to respond decisively to a surge in militant violence blamed on armed groups operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistani officials said the attacks were aimed at dismantling networks linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which authorities accuse of orchestrating some of the deadliest incidents in the country in recent years.
In Kabul, the response was swift and forceful. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that airstrikes had taken place inside Afghan territory, alleging that civilian areas in eastern provinces had been hit.
Writing on social media, Mujahid said dozens of people were killed or wounded in the strikes, including women and children, claims that Pakistan has not independently verified.
Islamabad, however, defended the operation as a measured response to an escalating security threat. Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said the military had carried out “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven militant camps near the border.
“These actions were taken with extreme care and precision,” Tarar wrote, adding that Pakistan remained committed to regional stability but could not ignore repeated attacks on its citizens and soldiers.
According to Pakistani officials, the targeted camps were linked to the TTP and its affiliates, as well as elements associated with the Islamic State operating in the border region. Security sources said the strikes were based on what they described as “actionable intelligence” indicating that the facilities were being used to plan and coordinate cross-border attacks.
The latest escalation follows a series of deadly incidents in Pakistan’s north-western regions bordering Afghanistan. In Bajaur district, a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security post earlier this week, killing 11 Pakistani soldiers and a child after part of the compound collapsed.
Authorities later identified the attacker as an Afghan national, a claim that has further strained already fragile relations between Islamabad and Kabul.
Just hours before Saturday’s airstrikes, another suicide attack targeted a military convoy in the nearby Bannu district, killing two more soldiers.
The Pakistani military described the incidents as part of a coordinated campaign by militants seeking to destabilize the country, warning that patience was “wearing thin.”
After the latest attacks, Pakistan’s military issued a strongly worded statement saying it would no longer “exercise restraint” and that operations against those responsible would continue “irrespective of their location.”
The language signaled a hardening of Islamabad’s stance and raised concerns among analysts about the risk of wider confrontation between the two neighbors.
Afghan officials rejected Pakistan’s accusations, arguing that Islamabad was attempting to deflect blame for its internal security failures.
Mujahid accused Pakistan’s military of using cross-border strikes as a political tool, saying the Afghan people were paying the price for decisions made in Islamabad. “Such actions do not contribute to peace or stability,” he said, urging Pakistan to resolve its security challenges through dialogue rather than force.
Pakistan, however, insists that it has repeatedly raised concerns with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities about militant groups using Afghan soil to launch attacks.
Tarar said Islamabad had shared what he called “conclusive evidence” linking recent assaults, including a suicide bombing that killed 31 worshippers at a Shiite mosque in the capital earlier this month, to militants operating under the direction of leaders based in Afghanistan.
“These attacks were carried out at the behest of Afghanistan-based handlers,” Tarar said. “Pakistan has consistently urged the authorities in Kabul to take verifiable steps to prevent their territory from being used against us.”
He added that Pakistan had also called on the international community to press Afghanistan’s rulers to honor commitments made under the Doha agreement, which includes assurances that Afghan soil would not be used to threaten other countries.
Militant violence has surged across Pakistan in recent years, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Much of the bloodshed has been attributed to the TTP and various separatist groups, with officials warning that the security situation has become increasingly complex since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
While the TTP is formally separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban, Islamabad says the two maintain close ties, an allegation both the group and Afghan authorities deny.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense for months, marked by sporadic border clashes, diplomatic disputes, and mutual accusations. In October, deadly fighting along the frontier killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants on both sides.
Although a Qatar-mediated ceasefire helped reduce violence, subsequent talks in Istanbul failed to produce a lasting agreement, leaving relations fragile.
Regional analysts say the latest strikes represent one of the most serious escalations in recent months, with potential implications for broader regional stability.
“Pakistan is signaling that it is willing to take unilateral action if it believes its security is under threat,” said one Islamabad-based security expert. “The risk is that such actions could spiral if diplomatic channels are not effectively used.”
International reaction has been cautious so far, with calls for restraint from several quarters. Diplomatic sources said regional partners were closely monitoring the situation, concerned that renewed cross-border violence could undermine already fragile security dynamics in South and Central Asia.
For Pakistan, officials say the strikes were a necessary step to protect its citizens amid what they describe as an intolerable rise in militant attacks. “The safety and security of Pakistani citizens remain our top priority,” Tarar said. “We will take all necessary measures to ensure peace within our borders.”
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Afghan authorities, meanwhile, have called for an independent investigation into the reported civilian casualties and urged Pakistan to respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
As both sides trade accusations, the prospects for de-escalation remain uncertain, with the situation underscoring the deep mistrust that continues to define relations between the two neighbors.
