Overnight air strikes have been carried out by Pakistan in Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul. The strikes come amid rapidly rising tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban-led government in Kabul. At least four people have been killed, and 15 have been injured.

According to Afghan officials, several locations were hit during the operation, including residential areas in Kabul. Khalil Zadran, spokesperson for Kabul police, said the bombardment resulted in civilian casualties.

Pakistan’s military has not yet issued an official statement on the strikes. However, a Pakistani security source confirmed the operation to AFP, saying that the targets were militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban.

The operation focused on “accurate targets involving TTP”, the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

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Strikes reported in multiple provinces

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media platform X that Pakistani air strikes also hit the southern province of Kandahar, the eastern provinces of Paktia and Paktika, and facilities near Kandahar airport.

He said a fuel depot belonging to private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport was also bombed during the strikes.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing TTP militants to operate from its territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government has consistently rejected these allegations, maintaining that Afghan soil is not used for attacks against other countries.

Rising civilian toll and displacement

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said earlier that Pakistani military operations between February 26 and March 5 resulted in the deaths of 56 civilians, including 24 children.

According to the UN refugee agency, about 115,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to the fighting.

Border clashes intensify

Violence between the two neighbours escalated on February 26 when Afghanistan launched an offensive along the frontier in response to earlier Pakistani air strikes targeting TTP militants.

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Pakistan later declared what it described as “open war” against Taliban authorities and carried out air strikes on Kabul on February 27.

Clashes have continued in border regions since then. Afghan authorities reported that four members of the same family were killed in Khost province during overnight shelling earlier this week. Taliban officials have accused Pakistan of targeting civilian homes and tents used by nomadic communities.

Authorities in Kabul said that cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan since Tuesday have left seven people dead.

Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the most recent deaths occurred early Thursday in the village of Sadqo in Khost province, alleging that Pakistani forces targeted civilian homes and tents used by nomadic families.