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Pakistan Accused of Airstrikes on Afghan Refugee Shelters Amid Escalating Border Tensions
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News18•25-09-2026, 11:10
Pakistan Accused of Airstrikes on Afghan Refugee Shelters Amid Escalating Border Tensions
- •Fresh Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan have sparked a new confrontation with the Taliban government, with Afghan officials alleging civilian areas and refugee shelters were targeted.
- •The allegations follow two rounds of Pakistani air operations; the first on September 21 in Kunar and Paktika, which Islamabad claimed targeted militants, but UNAMA confirmed three civilian deaths.
- •Afghan Taliban officials claim some affected areas included shelters for Afghans recently returned or expelled from Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of endangering displaced civilians.
- •Pakistan launched a second round of airstrikes on September 24, targeting 10 locations in Afghanistan used for drone operations against Pakistan, described as "deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate."
- •The strikes intensify already strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban of harboring militants and Kabul dismissing Pakistan's security issues as internal matters.
Key Questions Answered
Pakistan carried out airstrikes following a sharp deterioration in relations after a series of militant attacks inside Pakistan, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban authorities of allowing groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to operate from Afghan territory.
On September 21, Pakistani aircraft struck areas in Kunar and Paktika provinces, while a subsequent round of strikes on September 24 covered locations in Khost, Kandahar, and Paktia.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan confirmed three civilian deaths in Kunar, while Afghan officials and UNAMA warned that cross-border hostilities continue to cause civilian casualties, displacement, and severe humanitarian risks.
