Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan kill militants, civilians hurt

Pakistan's military conducted airstrikes against what it described as militant positions across the Afghan border, asserting that the operations successfully neutralized 28 suspected insurgents. The strikes targeted locations identified as hideouts used by armed groups in Afghan territory.

The Afghan government disputed Pakistan's account of the operation, stating that civilian casualties resulted from the airstrikes. Kabul reported that three civilians were killed and four others sustained injuries in the strikes, raising fresh concerns about cross-border military operations and their impact on the civilian population.

The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding security operations near their shared border. Pakistan has frequently conducted military operations against militant groups it says are based in Afghan territory, while Afghan authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns about civilian harm resulting from such strikes.

Border security remains a contentious issue between the two nations, with each accusing the other of harboring militant groups that carry out attacks. The discrepancy between Islamabad's account of militant casualties and Kabul's report of civilian deaths highlights the challenges in verifying claims made by either side in cross-border military operations.