The Afghan Taliban administration protested on Wednesday against airstrikes conducted by Pakistani jets near the Pak-Afghan border, claiming the actions breached Afghanistan’s territorial sovereignty, which they regard as a “red line.”
In a formal protest, the Afghan foreign ministry summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires and issued a note condemning the bombings in Paktika province’s Bermal district, located near the Durand Line. The ministry criticized what it termed “aggression by the Pakistani military,” particularly during a visit by an Afghan government envoy to Kabul for bilateral talks. They accused Pakistan of undermining trust between the two nations.
The Afghan defense ministry further alleged that most casualties were civilians and refugees, primarily from Pakistan’s Waziristan region.
Pakistan has yet to officially comment on the strikes. However, a senior Pakistani security official, speaking to AFP, stated that the operation targeted “terrorist hideouts,” killing at least 20 militants.
The airstrikes occurred as Pakistan’s special envoy, Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, was visiting Kabul to meet Afghan officials, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Foreign Minister Muhammad Muttaqi, to discuss security concerns, particularly regarding the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Despite the airstrikes, Ambassador Sadiq continued his engagements, discussing peace, security, and economic relations with Deputy Prime Minister Maulavi Muhammad Kabir and Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi.
The escalation followed a deadly TTP attack in South Waziristan that claimed the lives of 16 paramilitary Frontier Corps personnel.
Pakistani security sources indicated that the airstrikes targeted camps linked to TTP commanders and a media center used by the group.
The Afghan Taliban acknowledged that some casualties included refugees from Waziristan—a term often associated by Pakistan with TTP militants—but maintained that many victims were innocent civilians. Meanwhile, TTP-linked social media accounts disputed Pakistan’s claims, asserting that their leadership was unharmed and even released a video featuring their media head. However, the authenticity of these claims could not be independently verified.
