On November 25, 2025, Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused neighboring Pakistan of launching a series of deadly overnight airstrikes in three eastern Afghan provinces—Khost, Kunar, and Paktika—killing 10 civilians, including nine children and a woman, and injuring four others. The allegation, which Pakistan’s military has firmly denied, marks the latest and perhaps most volatile flashpoint in a year marked by escalating cross-border tensions, failed peace talks, and the closure of critical trade routes between the two countries.
According to the Associated Press, Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson for the Afghan government, took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare that Pakistan “bombed” the home of a civilian in Khost province, resulting in the deaths of nine children and a woman. Mujahid described the attacks as “atrocities” and a “violation of Afghan territory,” warning, “Afghanistan considers the use of its airspace and territory and defense of its people to be its legitimate right, and at the appropriate time, it will give the necessary response.” The Afghan government said additional strikes in Kunar and Paktika left four more people injured.
For residents of Khost, the aftermath was devastating and deeply personal. As reported by AP, local man Muhammad Iqbal, whose cousin’s family perished in the attack, said, “You see the cruelty with your own eyes, that young children, a woman and nine children, were martyred.” Tribal leader Mer Adam Khan recounted that a drone was seen flying over the area around midnight, but the origin of the strike remained unknown. He identified the destroyed home as belonging to Shariat Khan, a poor local man uninvolved in any government affairs.
Pakistan’s military, for its part, swiftly rejected the Afghan government’s claims. Military spokesperson Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry stated during a press briefing in Rawalpindi that “Pakistan does not target and kill civilians,” and insisted that the only acknowledged strikes were those carried out in October, which targeted hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP) responsible for a surge in violence within Pakistan. “We announce and acknowledge whenever we carry out such strikes,” Chaudhry emphasized, maintaining that no such operation occurred on November 25.
The timing of the accusation was particularly sensitive, coming just a day after a deadly attack in Peshawar, Pakistan, on November 24. There, two suicide bombers and a gunman stormed the headquarters of the Federal Constabulary, killing three officers and wounding 11 others. While no group claimed responsibility, suspicion quickly fell on the Pakistani Taliban. According to AP, the military spokesperson later identified the attackers as Afghan nationals who had entered Pakistan from the Tirah border region. The TTP, though a separate group, is closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, and many of its leaders are believed to be based in Afghanistan.
The cycle of violence and recrimination is not new. In October, Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out drone strikes in Kabul, prompting cross-border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and militants. A ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey on October 19 managed to halt the fighting, and, as of November 25, that truce was technically still in place. Both Qatar and Turkey, however, declined to comment on the latest incident. Iran has also stepped forward, offering to mediate between the two sides. On November 25, Ali Larijani, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, met with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad to discuss the crisis, as reported by AP.
Despite the ceasefire, the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains tense and effectively sealed. Talks held in Istanbul in the wake of the October clashes failed to yield a breakthrough. Pakistani officials, as reported by The Express Tribune, demanded that Afghanistan provide verifiable guarantees to dismantle terrorist networks—especially the TTP—operating from Afghan soil. The Afghan Taliban delegation, however, refused to provide such written assurances. “The logical and reasoned demands that Pakistan has presented are legitimate, but the Afghan Taliban delegation is not ready to fully accept them,” a Pakistani security source told the newspaper. As a result, Pakistan has kept all border crossings closed since early October, crippling bilateral trade and leaving thousands of trucks and containers stranded on both sides. Only limited humanitarian movement has been permitted, primarily to facilitate the return of Afghan refugees and those stranded by the shutdown.
The security situation has further deteriorated, with Pakistan intensifying intelligence-based operations against militants. Since January 2025, Pakistan claims to have killed 1,873 militants in thousands of operations. On the same day as the alleged airstrikes, Pakistan’s military announced it had killed 22 militants during a raid in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. The military described the insurgents as “Indian-backed” and referred to them as Khawarij—a term used by the Pakistani government and military for militants they allege are supported by Afghanistan and India. Both Kabul and New Delhi have denied providing any such support.
International concerns about the escalating violence and the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan have grown. Earlier this month, Denmark warned the United Nations Security Council of the “serious threat” posed by the TTP, estimating that around 6,000 fighters operate from Afghan territory and are responsible for high-profile attacks on Pakistan. Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Usman Jadoon, echoed these concerns, highlighting the ongoing threat from groups like ISIL-Khorasan, TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade, which he said continue to operate under Afghan patronage. Jadoon called for more objective and transparent processes for listing and delisting individuals and entities under the UN’s 1267 sanctions regime.
The human cost of these tensions is not limited to those caught in the crossfire. The closure of border crossings has disrupted the lives of countless ordinary people, preventing residents from both countries from visiting relatives and friends since early October. Trade has ground to a halt, with regional transit routes paralyzed and economic hardship mounting on both sides of the border.
As the region grapples with the aftermath of the latest alleged airstrikes and the specter of renewed conflict, the path to peace appears as elusive as ever. With mediation offers on the table but no concrete progress in sight, the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan are left waiting—caught between the imperatives of national security and the urgent need for stability and dialogue.
