Pakistan Strikes 10 Sites in Afghanistan as Kabul Reports Civilian Deaths

Pakistan and Afghanistan entered a new phase of escalation on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after Islamabad said it carried out airstrikes on 10 locations inside Afghanistan that were allegedly used to launch and store drones targeting Pakistan.

Afghan authorities said the strikes killed four civilians and injured others, while the Taliban government denied that drones had been launched from Afghan territory.

Pakistan and Afghanistan: What happened?

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the country’s air force struck 10 sites inside Afghanistan after Pakistani forces detected and neutralized drones that Islamabad said had originated from Afghan territory.

Pakistan said the locations were being used to store and launch drones against targets inside the country.

Islamabad did not immediately provide a casualty figure for the groups it said were targeted.

Kabul says four civilians were killed

Afghan officials said Pakistani strikes hit areas in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces and killed four civilians.

Afghanistan also reported injuries and damage to civilian property.

Images from Khost showed damaged homes and debris following what Afghan authorities described as Pakistani airstrikes.

Taliban denies launching drones

Afghanistan’s Taliban government rejected Pakistan’s claim that drones used against Pakistan had been launched from Afghan territory.

Kabul said Islamabad was using security incidents inside Pakistan as justification for cross-border attacks.

Pakistan, however, has repeatedly accused armed groups of operating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and conducting attacks across the border.

Why are tensions rising?

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated over Islamabad’s accusations that Kabul shelters members of the Pakistani Taliban and other armed groups.

The Taliban government denies providing sanctuary to militants and says Pakistan must address its own internal security problems.

A rise in attacks on Pakistani security forces has pushed Islamabad toward a more aggressive cross-border strategy.

This week’s strikes were not the first

The September 24 attacks came just days after Pakistan carried out another series of airstrikes inside Afghanistan on September 21.

Pakistan said those strikes killed 28 militants, while Afghan authorities and the United Nations reported civilian casualties.

The latest operation therefore marks a further escalation rather than an isolated incident.

Kandahar, Khost and Paktia become flashpoints

The new strikes focused on provinces along or near the long Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including Kandahar, Khost and Paktia.

The mountainous and tribal border region has long been difficult to control and has been used by multiple armed groups.

Pakistan says drones crossed the border

Islamabad said its latest operation followed several attempted drone attacks against Pakistan.

Pakistani authorities said they intercepted the drones and then identified what they described as launch and storage sites inside Afghanistan.

Kabul disputes that account.

Risk of wider confrontation grows

Repeated cross-border strikes are raising fears that the security dispute between the neighbors could develop into a broader military confrontation.

The two countries have already experienced border clashes, crossing closures and disruptions to trade in recent months.

Further escalation could affect humanitarian access, commercial routes and civilian populations living along the border.

Regional efforts to reduce tensions

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his government remained committed to efforts to reduce regional tensions.

Regional countries including Qatar, Turkey and China have been involved in attempts to facilitate dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul.

Those efforts face a new challenge as military strikes continue.

Are Pakistan and Afghanistan heading toward open conflict?

Neither government has formally declared war, but the growing frequency of airstrikes and cross-border accusations shows that the dispute has moved well beyond diplomatic tension.

The next stage will depend on whether both sides can halt retaliatory actions and return to mediation or whether military operations expand further.

Profile News continues to track developments through its 24-hour breaking news page.

Sources

• Reuters — Pakistan launches air strikes in Afghanistan
• Associated Press — Pakistan strikes sites in Afghanistan
• Reuters — Earlier Pakistan-Afghanistan escalation