KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations has lodged a formal complaint with the UN Security Council over Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan late Saturday, describing the attacks as violations of the UN Charter and international law.
In a post on X, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires to the UN, strongly condemned the strikes, saying they killed civilians, including women and children. He called for an immediate halt to the attacks, a thorough investigation, and respect for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and international law.
The airstrikes targeted at least seven locations in Paktika and Nangarhar provinces. Pakistani officials described them as intelligence-based operations against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State affiliates in response to recent militant attacks inside Pakistan, including a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad.
Taliban authorities in Afghanistan reported that the strikes hit civilian areas, including homes and a religious site. They said at least 17 people were killed in Nangarhar, including 11 children, with additional injuries reported. Some local sources cited higher civilian casualties in specific districts.
Pakistan’s military said the strikes destroyed seven TTP camps and killed more than 70 militants, with some reports citing up to 80.
The Taliban foreign ministry summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul to protest, while spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned of retaliation against Pakistani military targets, accusing Islamabad of using the strikes to divert attention from domestic issues.
The strikes have been widely condemned by Afghan politicians, activists, and citizens. India, Pakistan’s historical rival, remains the only foreign government to condemn the attacks. The Taliban remain largely isolated from the international community, and regional states maintain their own concerns over terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan.
Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have persisted since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of allowing TTP sanctuaries, a charge the group’s authorities deny. Previous Pakistani operations have led to clashes, later mediated by regional actors, though long-term agreements remain elusive.
