Pakistan says it killed 28 terrorists on Afghanistan border

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika and Kunar provinces, killing at least 28 militants and ending a nearly three-month lull in cross-border violence. The strikes, which also caused civilian casualties, have heightened tensions as the Taliban condemned the attacks and warned of retaliation.

Pakistan conducted airstrikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Monday, killing at least 28 militants, according to Pakistani authorities. The strikes targeted areas within the Afghan provinces of Paktika and Kunar, a Pakistani official familiar with the operation said on condition of anonymity. This marks the end of nearly three months of relative calm in the region.

Earlier in the day, officials from the Taliban-led Afghan government accused Pakistan of causing civilian casualties during the overnight air raids. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed the deaths of three civilians—a man, a woman, and a girl. Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat reported on social media that at least one home was struck in Kunar province, resulting in the deaths of three family members and injuries to four others. He also noted bombings in two locations in Paktika, which destroyed a shop and an unoccupied house.

The attacks have further strained the already tense relationship between the two neighbors. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks on Pakistani soil. After a sharp escalation earlier this year that resulted in hundreds of deaths from airstrikes, drone attacks, and artillery exchanges, the two sides had observed a fragile lull in hostilities.

In response to the airstrikes, Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson for the Taliban government, warned that Afghanistan would respond appropriately to what he described as Pakistani aggression. The Taliban's Foreign Ministry also summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul to deliver a formal protest.

The latest military activity follows a recent surge in violence affecting both nations. On Friday, Islamist militants attacked a police facility in the northwestern Pakistani district of Kohat, killing at least 24 people. Additionally, a cross-border exchange of fire on Sunday in Hangu district, near the Afghan border, resulted in the deaths of six Pakistani soldiers and eight militants, according to a Pakistan Army statement.

Pakistan’s ongoing internal insurgencies, driven by diverse groups with differing ideologies but united opposition to the Pakistani state, continue to complicate security dynamics along the porous border. The latest airstrikes underscore the fragile and volatile nature of the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier, where militant activity and retaliatory operations frequently escalate tensions.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.