Pakistan carried out air and drone strikes at 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, 24th September, saying the targets were being used to launch and store drones involved in attacks on Pakistani territory. Afghanistan’s Taliban government, however, said the strikes killed four civilians in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces.
Pakistan carried out air strikes in Afghanistan that Kabul says killed four civilians, escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Afghan authorities have condemned the strikes, while the incident adds to growing concerns over cross-border security and militant… pic.twitter.com/T0KtSGMNof
— WION (@WIONews) September 24, 2026
The latest strikes have further increased tensions between the two neighbouring countries, which have been involved in repeated cross-border clashes in recent days.
Why did Pakistan launch the strikes?
Pakistan said the strikes came after eight drones launched from Afghanistan entered its airspace near Torkham and Kohat on Wednesday. Pakistani security forces said the drones were shot down.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan carried out what he described as “precision” aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations used for launching and storing the drones. He said the action was taken in self-defence and that the targets were linked to attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistani officials also said Afghan forces fired mortars and other heavy weapons at Pakistani border posts. Pakistan responded with artillery fire targeting Taliban border posts, mortar sites and defensive positions.
Afghanistan reports four civilian deaths
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the Pakistani strikes hit Kandahar, Paktia and Khost. He said four civilians were killed and warned that Afghanistan would give an “appropriate response”. The Taliban government has rejected Pakistan’s claim that drones were launched from Afghan territory.
The latest strikes came just days after another Pakistani air operation in Afghanistan. On 21st September, Pakistan said it had targeted terrorist hideouts and safe havens and claimed that more than 28 terrorists were killed. Afghan authorities and the UN reported civilian deaths in that operation.
Border fighting continues
The situation has also remained tense along the border. Pakistani security sources said Afghan Taliban fighters attempted to enter Pakistan’s territory in the Gulistan sector of Balochistan, after which several Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in retaliatory action. Intermittent firing between Pakistani security forces and Afghan Taliban forces continued after midnight.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban government of allowing terrorist groups to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies the accusation.
The latest escalation follows a series of attacks in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including violence in Kohat and Hangu. Pakistani authorities have blamed terrorist groups for the attacks and linked the wider security problem to groups operating from or connected with Afghanistan.
