“Crime and Aggression”: Afghanistan vows “appropriate response” against Pakistan over strikes in Kunar, Paktika

Kabul [Afghanistan], September 21 (ANI): Afghanistan on Monday vowed an "appropriate response" to Pakistani airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces, with government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accusing Pakistan's military of targeting civilian areas and describing the attacks as a repetition of "crimes" against Afghanistan.
In a post on X, Mujahid said the strikes had killed three civilians and wounded four others in Kunar, while an attack in Paktika damaged a house and a local shop.
"Crime and Aggression: Last night, the invading Pakistani army bombarded civilian areas of Afghanistan in Kunar and Paktika provinces. In Kunar, one woman and two men were martyred, and two women and two men were wounded; all of them are local civilian residents. In Paktika, one house and one local shop were bombed, with no casualties reported," the post read.
"We condemn this aggression and oppression and consider it a repetition of crimes. Pakistan's military establishment, in order to divert attention from its own internal security failures, has once again committed such a crime. Afghans will give an appropriate response to this aggression, God willing," he added.
The statement came after TOLOnews, citing local sources, reported that Pakistani fighter jets carried out airstrikes in several parts of Afghanistan early Monday morning.
According to the report, the Rakha and Torkandi areas of Barmal district in Paktika province were targeted in two separate strikes.
A separate strike in Kunar province reportedly killed three people and injured several others, TOLOnews reported.
The latest developments come amid continuing cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan and a documented civilian toll from earlier clashes.
In its update covering April to June 2026, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said its Human Rights Service documented 399 civilian casualties — 57 killed and 342 injured — as a result of cross-border armed violence during the period. The casualties included 40 women and 112 children. UNAMA said airstrikes and ground engagements were the leading causes of civilian harm.
UNAMA said all cross-border civilian casualties it documented in Afghanistan during the April-June period were attributed to Pakistani security forces, with Paktya, Paktika and Kunar among the provinces recording the largest number of civilian casualties from airstrikes.
The UN mission had earlier confirmed that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in airstrikes carried out in Paktya, Paktika and Kunar on June 28. Women and children were among the victims, while Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that Pakistani security forces had conducted strikes in the three provinces.
UNAMA's data for January to March 2026 also recorded 372 civilians killed and 397 injured as a result of cross-border armed violence between Afghanistan's de facto security forces and Pakistani military forces.
The latest warning from Mujahid follows his earlier remarks on Saturday, when he said Afghanistan had the right to defend its territory against Pakistani military action and warned Islamabad of a "crushing response" if it carried out strikes inside Afghanistan.
In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Mujahid rejected Pakistan's allegations that Afghan territory was being used by militant groups to recruit, train and launch attacks against Pakistan.
"If Pakistan invokes Article 51 to violate the sanctity of Afghan territory, Afghanistan has the right to defend its country, and we will do so," Mujahid said.
Mujahid said any Pakistani military operation inside Afghanistan would constitute a violation of Afghan sovereignty and could trigger a strong response from Kabul. (ANI)