Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan kill 3
What's the story
Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan's Kunar province have left at least three dead and several injured, Tolo News reported. The attack is reportedly a retaliation for a suicide bombing at a mosque near police offices in northwestern Pakistan on Friday. The suicide bomb attack at the mosque and subsequent gun battle killed at least 31 people, including 16 police personnel, with dozens of others injured, according to the AFP news agency.
Taliban
One house was hit in strikes
At least one home in Kunar province was hit in the strikes, killing three members of the same family and injuring four others, Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said on Monday.
"In Barmal District of Paktika (province), two locations...were bombarded, destroying one shop and one unoccupied house, with no casualties reported," he said in a post on X.
Escalating tensions
Taliban warns of military retaliation
Ahead of the latest airstrike, the Taliban had warned that it would retaliate militarily if Afghan territory was attacked.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had said, "If Pakistan invokes Article 51 to violate the sanctity of Afghan territory, Afghanistan has the right to defend its country."
Mujahid also rejected allegations of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from Afghan soil. He said Pakistan should look into its own internal security issues instead of blaming Afghanistan.
Denial and criticism
Taliban reject TTP allegations
The Taliban has consistently denied allowing its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan, the center of the dispute.
Officials in Kabul have always denied the accusation.
The TTP is separate from, but allied with, the Taliban in Afghanistan.
A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack at the mosque on Friday. Ittehadul Mujahideen, which means Mujahideen Alliance and is linked to Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, said it carried out the attack.
Aerial disparity
Paki stan has upper hand in potential conflict
Pakistan has a much larger air force compared to Afghanistan, with 422 combat aircraft and over 260 helicopters.
In contrast, Afghanistan has no fighter jets, at least six aircraft, 23 helicopters, and drones that have previously been used in fighting with Pakistan.
The worst incident was in March when a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul killed over 400 people at a drug rehabilitation center. Islamabad denied the charge, saying it precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.