The Afghan government said on Monday that 3 civilians had been killed and 3 others injured in Pakistani strikes on Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, in a development threatening renewed clashes between the neighbouring countries after months of conflict described as the worst between them in years.
Strikes target civilian areas in Kunar and Paktika
Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani strikes had hit civilian areas in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Paktika. He added that Pakistani aircraft had bombed a house and a shop in Paktika, with no casualties reported at either targeted site. Mujahid condemned the strikes on Afghan territory, calling them a “repetition of crimes”.
He said that “Pakistan’s military circles are trying to divert attention from their security failures by targeting Afghanistan”, pledging that the Kabul government would respond to the Pakistani strikes at the appropriate time and place. The strikes came two days after an attack targeted a police facility in north-western Pakistan, amid fears that fighting could erupt again between the neighbours, which fought their fiercest conflict in years last February.
Kohat attack raises security death toll
The Pakistani army had previously announced that 10 militants were killed during security operations carried out between Tuesday and Thursday in the province. Armed groups are active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan, and carry out attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians. Pakistan accuses groups it describes as extremist and based in Afghanistan of supporting the attacks, while the Kabul government, led by the Taliban, denies any Afghan involvement.
The accusations helped fuel a sharp dispute and armed clashes between the two countries. Pakistan also carried out air strikes that it said targeted militants inside Afghan territory. In June, the Kabul government and the United Nations confirmed that dozens of civilians had been killed in Pakistani strikes on eastern Afghanistan.
Data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies indicates that Pakistan has an air force comprising 422 fighter aircraft and more than 260 helicopters.
Afghanistan has no fighter aircraft, but according to the available information it has at least 6 aircraft and 23 helicopters, as well as drones previously used in fighting with Pakistan.
