Pakistan launched retaliatory airstrikes in Afghanistan early Sunday following a deadly suicide attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Taliban authorities reported that at least 17 people, including women and children, were killed in the strikes, which targeted a madrasa and residential homes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces.
The Pakistani military stated the operation targeted "camps and hideouts" of armed groups responsible for a recent wave of attacks across Pakistan.
Targets and Intelligence
According to a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cited by Al Jazeera, the intelligence-based operation targeted seven hideouts belonging to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. Islamabad also confirmed that a branch of the Islamic State (IS) operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was targeted.
Pakistani security forces claim these bases were used to plan a recent suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad.
Diplomatic Tensions and the Doha Agreement
In its statement, Islamabad called on the international community to pressure the Taliban government in Kabul to uphold the commitments made in the 2020 Doha Agreement. Under that deal, the Taliban pledged that Afghan soil would not be used for attacks against other nations.
Conversely, the Afghan Ministry of Defense strongly condemned the airstrikes for targeting civilians and religious sites, calling them a violation of international law and "good neighborly relations." Kabul blamed the Pakistani army for the casualties and warned of an "appropriate response at the right time."
Escalating Violence
The airstrikes occurred just hours after a suicide attack targeted a security convoy in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing two soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel.
This follows several high-profile incidents:
Bajaur District: Last Monday, a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) detonated near a security outpost, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Investigators identified the attacker as an Afghan national.
Islamabad Mosque Attack: On February 6, a suicide bomber struck the Khadija-tul-Kubra Mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area during Zuhr prayers, killing 31 and injuring 170. ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast.
The Pakistani military has repeatedly alleged that recent attacks are being planned, funded, and ideologically driven with support and sanctuary provided within Afghanistan.
