The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that at least 13 people were killed and 10 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes that struck areas of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika provinces on Tuesday night, raising renewed concerns over civilian protection and escalating tensions between the neighboring countries.
In a statement, UNAMA said that women and children were among those killed and wounded, highlighting the humanitarian impact of the cross-border strikes. The UN mission urged all parties to uphold their obligations under international law and to take every possible measure to protect civilians during military operations.
The confirmation comes amid sharply conflicting accounts from Islamabad and the Taliban administration regarding both the intended targets and the number of casualties.
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, rejected reports that civilians had been harmed, describing the operation as a “precise and calculated” counterterrorism mission. According to Pakistani authorities, the strikes targeted infrastructure linked to the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and resulted in the deaths of 26 militants allegedly involved in planning and launching attacks inside Pakistan.
The Taliban administration, however, strongly disputed Pakistan’s account, accusing its military of bombing residential areas and causing significant civilian losses. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that 13 civilians including 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man were killed, while 14 others sustained injuries. He condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and international law, calling on the international community to take notice of the incident.
The latest airstrikes mark another serious escalation in the increasingly strained relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban-led authorities in Kabul. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban of allowing TTP fighters to operate from Afghan territory and use it as a base to organize attacks against Pakistan. The Taliban have consistently denied those allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not being used to threaten neighboring countries.
Border tensions between the two countries have intensified over recent months, with recurring security incidents and mutual accusations undermining efforts to improve bilateral relations. In a recent report to the UN Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres noted that cross-border violence and related security incidents between Afghanistan and Pakistan had resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties during the first months of the year, underscoring the deteriorating security environment along the frontier.
Despite several rounds of diplomatic engagement including recent high-level discussions in Urumqi both sides have so far failed to bridge their differences over border management, counterterrorism cooperation, and the presence of armed groups operating in the region. Analysts warn that the latest strikes could further complicate efforts to restore trust and reduce tensions, increasing the risk of additional military confrontations and civilian suffering.
As investigations continue and competing narratives persist, UNAMA’s confirmation of civilian casualties is likely to intensify international scrutiny of the incident and renew calls for restraint, accountability, and dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul.
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