Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan Kill 18: Red Crescent

Pakistan said it carried out pre-dawn airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Sunday, targeting alleged militant hideouts near the border, while the Afghan Red Crescent reported at least 18 people killed.

According to Afghan authorities, the strikes hit civilian areas in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika, including a religious madrassa and several homes. Kabul condemned the attacks as a violation of its airspace and sovereignty.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said dozens of people were killed or wounded, including women and children. The Afghan Red Crescent Society later confirmed 18 deaths and multiple injuries, mainly in Nangarhar.

In response, Afghanistan summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul and lodged a formal protest, warning that Islamabad would bear responsibility for any consequences.

Residents in the affected areas were seen clearing debris and preparing for funerals. Local elders said those killed were civilians with no links to militant groups.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military conducted “intelligence-based, targeted operations” against seven camps belonging to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), its affiliates, and a faction linked to the Islamic State group. He said Pakistan remains committed to regional stability but will prioritise the security of its citizens.

The strikes came hours after a suicide bombing targeted a security convoy in Pakistan’s Bannu district, killing two soldiers. A similar attack in Bajaur last week left 11 soldiers and a child dead, with Pakistani authorities alleging the attacker was an Afghan national.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of allowing TTP militants to operate from Afghan territory, an allegation denied by the Taliban administration.

Security analysts warn the latest cross-border strikes risk further escalating tensions between the two neighbours, whose relations have remained strained amid deadly border clashes and stalled diplomatic efforts in recent months.