Pakistani fighter jets conducted airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, September 21, 2026, targeting suspected militant hideouts. The airstrikes resulted in the deaths of 28 militants, according to Pakistani officials. The strikes occurred near the countries' shared border, escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This development raises concerns about further cross-border hostilities and potential complications for regional mediation efforts.
The airstrikes were a response to recent militant attacks on Pakistani security forces near the border. Two deadly attacks in the past few days prompted Pakistan to warn that it could target militants inside Afghanistan. The Pakistani Information Ministry stated that the airstrikes were part of a planned, intelligence-driven operation. The ministry reported that the strikes targeted the hideouts and safe havens of terrorist organizations responsible for the attacks.
The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least three civilians, including a man, a woman, and a girl, were killed and four injured in the airstrikes. The incident occurred in Afghanistan's Kunar province. UNAMA documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far in 2026. The UN mission reiterated its call for respect for international humanitarian law to prevent civilian casualties.
Afghanistan's government condemned the airstrikes, with government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid vowing a response. Mujahid described the airstrikes as an "aggression and oppression" and accused Pakistani military circles of committing a crime to divert attention from their country's security failures. The Afghan Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan's chargé d’affaires in Kabul and lodged a formal protest, regarding the strikes as a clear violation of Afghanistan's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The airstrikes followed a series of violent incidents in the region. On Sunday, six Pakistani security personnel, including two army officers, were killed in a shootout with militants in Hangu, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border. On Friday, a suicide bomber struck a mosque inside a police compound in the Pakistani city of Kohat, resulting in 21 deaths and over 100 injuries.
Pakistan's Information Ministry warned on Saturday that the country could strike militants inside Afghanistan in response to attacks on Pakistan. The ministry accused the Afghan Taliban government of sheltering and supporting groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan. Afghanistan has long denied Pakistan's claims that it provides shelter or support to militants. Pakistan called on Kabul to dismantle militant sanctuaries and recruitment and training networks in Afghanistan.
The escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan has resulted in hundreds of deaths in cross-border fighting since February. The Pakistani Taliban, separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, have intensified attacks on police and other security forces in Pakistan in recent years. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Kohat or Hangu.
Key points
- Pakistan conducts airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, killing 28 militants.
- Kabul reports 3 civilian deaths and 4 injuries in the airstrikes.
- The airstrikes escalate tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Afghanistan vowing a response.
