October 2: Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province and southern Helmand province overnight into Thursday, in the second reported round of cross-border strikes in about a week. Three different casualty counts have emerged. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said at least 10 civilians, most of them children, were killed. The Taliban government put the toll at nine dead and 11 wounded. Pakistan said it killed 22 militants and caused no civilian harm. Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify the claims of either side.
Key highlights
- Where: Kunar in the east and the Garmsir district of Helmand in the south, according to Al Jazeera and UPI.
- United Nations: The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 10 civilians were killed, “most of them children”, and nine were injured.
- Taliban government: Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at least nine people were killed and 11 wounded, and that three houses were destroyed.
- Pakistan: The Ministry of Information said the strikes killed 22 “terrorists” and that “no collateral damage occurred”.
- Wider toll: UNAMA has documented more than 1,100 civilian casualties from cross-border violence in 2026, Al Jazeera reported.
What each side says
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes targeted hideouts of two armed groups: the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). “Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at these hideouts was also destroyed,” the ministry said, according to Al Jazeera. UPI quoted the Pakistani statement as saying: “Maximum precautions were taken and it was ensured that no collateral damage occurred.”
The Taliban government rejected that account. Mujahid said the strikes hit homes and killed women and children. He called the attack “an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles”, UPI reported.
UNAMA, which monitors civilian harm in the country, said it “reiterates its call for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and prevention of further civilian harm.”
Why the numbers do not match
The UN and Taliban figures are close to each other: 10 dead and nine injured in one count, nine dead and 11 wounded in the other. Both describe civilian victims. Pakistan’s figure of 22 refers to militants, and Islamabad says no civilians were hurt. That claim is contradicted by the UN mission’s findings.
Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify either government’s account. For now, each figure should be read as a claim by the party that issued it.
Second round of strikes in a week
Pakistan also struck sites inside Afghanistan on September 24, as we reported at the time. UPI said those strikes hit Kandahar and Kunar provinces.
Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of sheltering armed groups that carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies this. The TTP ended a ceasefire with the Pakistani government in November 2022, Al Jazeera noted.
The strikes come at a tense time inside Pakistan too. Imran Khan’s party, the PTI, has called a march on Islamabad for October 4.
What to watch
- Whether Taliban forces respond along the border.
- Whether UNAMA publishes a fuller account of the civilian deaths, including names and ages.
- Whether the two governments return to talks. UNAMA has again urged dialogue.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: Pakistan launches deadly air attacks on Afghanistan
- UPI: Pakistan kills at least 10 civilians in Afghanistan airstrikes
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
