Islamabad says two militant hideouts were targeted; Afghan authorities say strikes in Kunar and Helmand hit civilian homes

ISLAMABAD/KABUL, October 1 (Nazrana Times) — Pakistan said it carried out aerial strikes against alleged militant hideouts in Afghanistan, claiming that 22 militants were killed, while Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities gave a sharply different account, saying the strikes killed civilians, including women and children.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the operation as “well-planned and calibrated,” saying two locations linked to groups it refers to as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan and their affiliates were selectively targeted on the basis of intelligence.

According to the ministry, the targets were destroyed and initial reports indicated that 22 militants had been killed. It also said weapons and ammunition stored at the locations were destroyed.

The ministry maintained that precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties and said the operation was directed at militant infrastructure rather than Afghanistan’s civilian population.

Islamabad Says Threat Originates From Afghan Territory

Pakistan has repeatedly accused armed groups operating from Afghanistan of planning and carrying out attacks on Pakistani territory.

Islamabad says Afghanistan-based militant networks pose a direct threat to Pakistan’s security and has called on the Taliban authorities in Kabul to prevent Afghan territory from being used for cross-border attacks.

The Afghan Taliban government has rejected Pakistan’s allegations that it allows militant groups to use its territory to attack Pakistan.
Pakistan says its latest action forms part of its continuing counterterrorism campaign and argues that it has the right to take measures necessary to protect its citizens and territory.

Kabul Reports Civilian Deaths

Afghan authorities presented a different account of the strikes.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani strikes hit areas in Kunar and Helmand provinces, destroying three houses. He said at least nine people, including women and children, were killed and 11 others were wounded.

Afghan authorities condemned the strikes and described them as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

Pakistan, by contrast, maintains that its operation targeted militant hideouts and says it sought to prevent civilian casualties.

Competing Claims Remain Unverified

The casualty figures and descriptions of those killed differ substantially between Islamabad and Kabul.

Pakistan says preliminary information indicates that 22 militants were killed, while Afghan authorities say civilians were among the victims.

The casualty claims from the two sides have not been independently verified, making it important to distinguish the governments’ respective accounts from independently established facts.

The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border militancy. Islamabad accuses Kabul of failing to prevent armed groups, particularly militants associated with the Pakistani Taliban, from operating from Afghan territory. The Taliban government denies those accusations.

Pakistan says it remains committed to regional stability but will continue taking action it considers necessary to protect its territory and citizens. Kabul, meanwhile, has condemned Pakistani military operations inside Afghanistan and demanded respect for Afghan sovereignty.

— Nazrana Times