Kabul, Afghanistan—Dozens of civilians were killed overnight following a series of Pakistani military airstrikes in the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar. Afghan government spokesmen confirmed the death toll reached 36, with over 160 people injured, many of them women and children.

The strikes reportedly targeted residential areas in Mandokhail village, Gayan district, and Manogai district. Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat described the attack as a cowardly act of aggression. He alleged that after an initial strike hit a home, a second wave of bombs struck the area as villagers gathered to help the survivors.

Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, confirmed that the military conducted an intelligence-based operation but denied targeting civilians. He stated the strikes were aimed at hideouts of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. According to Pakistan, the operation was a response to a militant attack in Karachi that killed three security personnel.

The strike is the latest flare-up in a fragile relationship between the two neighbors. Cross-border shelling and aerial operations have occurred sporadically throughout the year, with both sides frequently trading accusations over militant safe havens. The Taliban government denies that it allows any groups to use Afghan soil to threaten neighbors.

Independent verification of the casualty figures remains impossible due to the remoteness of the affected villages and the ongoing security situation. Images shared on local social media channels show flattened residential homes and debris-strewn fields where families had previously been sleeping.

The international community has yet to issue a formal response, but the high casualty toll is expected to draw scrutiny from humanitarian organizations. The border region, already volatile, is bracing for a potential increase in militant activity following these events.

As the dust settles, local rescue efforts are focused on digging through the rubble to locate missing persons. Survivors in Paktia reported that the entire village was caught off guard during the nighttime hours. The scale of the destruction has left hundreds of local families displaced and traumatized.

Both governments remain locked in a diplomatic standoff, with no signs of de-escalation. The border remains on high alert, and military movements have been reported on both sides of the frontier throughout the day.