newspop
New Delhi : A dangerous new flashpoint is emerging between Pakistan and Afghanistan as fresh airstrikes, deadly violence and sharp warnings raise fears of another major escalation along the border. Pakistan reportedly carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar and Paktika provinces early Monday, September 21, following a deadly attack in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, the strikes hit areas including Nurgal district in Kunar, where three members of a family were reportedly killed and four others injured, while several locations in Paktika’s Barmal area were also targeted.
Pakistani security officials, however, reportedly said the strikes were aimed at suspected militant hideouts and claimed that 28 suspected militants were killed. The competing claims could not be independently verified, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the casualties and targets. The latest strikes have sharply intensified an already fragile relationship between the two neighbouring countries, with Pakistan repeatedly accusing militant groups, including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), of using Afghan territory to plan and carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
Kabul has rejected the allegations and maintained that Afghan territory is not being used for attacks against Pakistan. The Taliban has also strongly condemned the latest Pakistani strikes, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warning that Afghanistan reserves the right to defend itself if attacks on its territory continue.
The escalation comes after a deadly attack in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where an explosives-laden vehicle reportedly targeted a mosque inside a police complex, followed by an armed assault and an exchange of fire between security forces and attackers. Pakistani authorities reported a high death toll and numerous injuries, although figures have varied across reports. Islamabad has linked the broader security crisis to militant activity allegedly connected to Afghanistan, while Taliban authorities have denied supporting attacks against Pakistan.
The latest developments mark another serious deterioration in relations, with cross-border attacks, accusations and retaliatory threats increasing the risk of further clashes. There is currently no confirmation that a full-scale war between Pakistan and Afghanistan has begun, but the latest airstrikes and warnings have put the region on heightened alert as both sides face growing pressure over border security and militant activity.
