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Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of targeting civilians in overnight airstrikes as fighting enters third week

Afghanistan's Taliban government accuses Pakistan of overnight air attacks targeting civilian homes in Kabul and other provinces, resulting in civilian casualties

By The Week News Desk Updated: March 13, 2026 13:27 IST
A Taliban security personnel walks past rubble at the site of an overnight Pakistan airstrike, at a residential area in Pol-e-Charkhi on the outskirts of Kabul on March 13, 2026. Afghan authorities said on March 13 that Pakistan had carried out new strikes on Kabul and border provinces, killing four people in the capital | AFP

The Taliban government in Afghanistan have accused Pakistan of targeting civilian homes in overnight air attacks in the Kabul.

A Pakistani security official confirmed that Pakistan struck overnight following the growing attacks in the country.

The Taliban government said that at least four civilians were killed in the fighting, which has entered the third week. Women and children were killed in the attacks, they said.

Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on X Friday that Pakistan’s aircraft also struck fuel depots belonging to the private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport. Mujahid said that Pakistani strikes hit multiple civilian sites and uninhabited locations in Afghanistan, Paktia and Paktika provinces, as well as other areas. Khalid Zadran, Kabul police spokesperson, said that at least four civilians, including women and children, were killed in the city. 15 others were injured.

There was also no immediate comment from Pakistan’s military or government.

The strikes hit Afghanistan’s Kandahar, its second-largest city, including its airport.

The fighting between the countries is now in its third week after starting in late February. The conflict escalated on February 26 when Kabul said that it had struck Pakistani posts in response to Pakistani attacks along the border. The confrontation was deemed as an “open war with Afghanistan” by Islamabad. The attacks occurred just two days before the US and Israel attacked Iran, which has overshadowed the border conflict within the country.
Pakistan has maintained that it does not attack civilian sites.

Islamabad has long accused Afghanistan of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP)  terrorists.

The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan has said that about 56 civilians, including 24 children, were killed by military operations in the country by Pakistani operations between February 26 and March 5.

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