ISLAMABAD — October 1, 2026 : Pakistan said Thursday that its security forces carried out airstrikes against alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts inside Afghanistan, claiming that 22 militants were killed in the operation.
The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan disputed Pakistan’s account, saying the strikes killed nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, injured 11 others and destroyed three homes.
The conflicting claims could not immediately be independently verified.
Pakistan: Strikes Targeted TTP Hideouts
Pakistan’s Information Ministry said its security forces conducted what it described as “well-planned and calibrated aerial strikes” against TTP hideouts and safe havens.
According to the ministry, the strikes targeted two locations in Afghanistan based on what Pakistan described as credible intelligence.
Officials said the targets were hit with precision and that initial reports indicated 22 terrorists had been killed. The statement also said that weapons and ammunition stored at the locations were destroyed.
Pakistan said the operation was part of its broader counterterrorism campaign, Ghazab lil Haq, and maintained that the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained its foremost priority.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused militant groups operating from Afghan territory of planning and carrying out attacks against Pakistan.
Taliban Reports Civilian Casualties
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid gave a sharply different account.
In a social media statement, Mujahid said the Pakistani strikes killed nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, while another 11 people were injured. He also said three homes were destroyed.
According to the Taliban government, the strikes occurred in Chugam in Shultan district of Kunar province and Safar in Garmser district of Helmand province.
Mujahid condemned the strikes as an act of aggression and described them as a violation of international principles.
The Taliban’s account and Pakistan’s claim about the targets and casualties have not been independently verified.
Relations Between Islamabad and Kabul Deteriorate
The airstrikes come amid increasingly strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied militant groups to maintain bases and safe havens on Afghan soil.
Pakistan says militants based in Afghanistan have used the territory to plan and launch attacks inside Pakistan.
The Taliban authorities have repeatedly rejected the allegations, maintaining that Afghan territory will not be allowed to be used to attack neighbouring countries.
Cross-Border Tensions
The latest strikes add another major point of tension between the two neighbouring countries, which have already faced disputes over militant activity, border security and alleged cross-border attacks.
Pakistan says its military operations are aimed at preventing attacks on its citizens and eliminating militant infrastructure.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, has condemned Pakistani military action inside Afghan territory and disputed Islamabad’s claims about militant sanctuaries.
The competing accounts highlight the difficulty of independently establishing the number of casualties and the identity of those killed immediately after cross-border military operations.
Key Points
- Pakistan’s claim: 22 militants killed.
- Pakistan’s stated target: TTP hideouts and safe havens.
- Taliban’s claim: 9 Afghan civilians killed.
- Reported civilian casualties: 11 injured.
- Homes reportedly destroyed: 3.
- Locations cited by Taliban authorities: Kunar and Helmand provinces.
- Pakistan’s position: The strikes were based on intelligence and targeted militant infrastructure.
- Taliban’s position: The strikes were an act of aggression and caused civilian casualties.
- Independent verification: Not immediately available.
- Date: October 1, 2026.
The latest escalation underscores the deepening security dispute between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides maintaining sharply different accounts of militant activity and civilian casualties.
