Pakistan bombs Afghanistan overnight; 29 kids and women killed

Pakistan said its security forces killed 29 suspected militants in an intelligence-based ground operation followed by targeted airstrikes along the Afghanistan border, days after a deadly militant assault on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi. Islamabad said the operation targeted hideouts of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was launched in response to a recent surge in cross-border attacks.

According to Pakistani authorities, the military carried out "calibrated strikes" against what it described as terrorist safe havens along the border. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the action was based on credible intelligence and formed part of the country's ongoing counterterrorism campaign.

The operation came after militants from Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, attacked the Sindh Rangers headquarters in Karachi, killing security personnel before being neutralised by Pakistani forces. Islamabad has blamed Afghanistan-based militant groups for the recent violence, although it has not publicly provided evidence for its claims.

Afghanistan's Taliban administration condemned the latest cross-border strikes, alleging that Pakistani attacks caused civilian casualties and violated Afghan sovereignty. Kabul has consistently rejected Pakistan's accusations that it shelters TTP militants, instead accusing Islamabad of carrying out repeated cross-border attacks that endanger civilians.

The latest military action marks another escalation in the already strained relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Since early 2026, both countries have exchanged accusations over cross-border militancy, with repeated airstrikes, retaliatory attacks and diplomatic tensions raising concerns about regional stability along the volatile frontier.