Story perspectives

Pakistan Airstrikes Kill 13 Civilians in Afghan Provinces

6/10/2026

Summary

Pakistan Airstrikes

On June 10, 2026, Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan killed 13 people, including 11 children, a woman and an elderly man.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes hit Khost, Kunar and Paktika, wounding 14 civilians.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed the raids destroyed four sites, killed 26 militants and were precise.
The raids followed a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gunbattle that killed six Federal Constabulary members, leaving China-mediated talks without a lasting truce.

Summary

Pakistan Declares War

Pakistan declared an “open war” with Afghanistan after June 10 airstrikes.
The border has remained closed since the October flare-up, freezing all bilateral trade.
A United Nations report in May said fighting killed at least 372 Afghan civilians and injured 397 in the first three months of 2026.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called the airstrikes a “humanitarian crime,” urged Pakistan to respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty, and said the fragile March ceasefire collapsed.

Summary

Taliban Strikes

A strike on a shepherd’s home in Spera district killed ten civilians, prompting tribal elder Haji Ali Khan to warn locals they must secure protection or risk retaliation.
ACLED data show militant attacks inside Pakistan have risen four-fold since 2022, the year after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan.
Residents of Paktika’s Parmal area confirmed a separate strike that killed three civilians, including children, raising refugee anxiety about further Taliban-Pakistan fighting.

Summary

Pakistan Raid

Pakistan framed the June 10 operation as part of its “Azm-e-Istehkam” strategy and called the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan “Fitna al-Khawarij.”
Minister Attaullah Tarar said raid destroyed a training centre, a hideout, an ammo cache and compounds of commanders Aleem Khan Khushali and Akhtar Jani Khel.
Elders from Kunar, Bajaur, Chitral and Nuristan signed cease-fire pacts that require reopening routes, although China-mediated talks in Urumqi left governments dead-locked over border security and counter-terrorism legitimacy.

History

Historical Context

The U.S.-led 2001 invasion toppled the Taliban, sparking a 20-year war during which Pakistan’s ISI backed insurgents who regrouped across the border. June 2026 airstrikes ordered by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar revive the same border dispute and the millions of refugees straining the frontier, a pressure that has driven recurring violence since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal.

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Pakistan Airstrikes

On June 10, 2026, Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan killed 13 people, including 11 children, a woman and an elderly man.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes hit Khost, Kunar and Paktika, wounding 14 civilians.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed the raids destroyed four sites, killed 26 militants and were precise.
The raids followed a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gunbattle that killed six Federal Constabulary members, leaving China-mediated talks without a lasting truce.

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