Pakistan's Afghan Strikes: When Border Security Meets Civilian Casualties

When does counterterrorism become terrorism itself? Pakistan's overnight airstrikes in Afghanistan have killed dozens of civilians, including women and children, raising uncomfortable questions about the blurred lines between security operations and civilian casualties.

Seven Sites, Countless Lives

Pakistan's military targeted seven locations along the Afghan border Sunday, claiming to hit militant hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and Islamic State affiliates. The strikes were retaliation for recent suicide bombings in Pakistan, including a devastating attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad two weeks ago that killed 40 people and wounded over 160.

But the reality on the ground tells a different story. Afghan defense officials report that the strikes hit a madrasa and residential homes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. In one house alone, 23 family members were present when the bombs fell, with five wounded survivors pulled from the rubble.

"People here are ordinary people. The residents of this village are our relatives," said 37-year-old neighbor Amin Gul Amin, watching rescuers dig through debris with shovels and excavators. "When the bombing happened, one person who survived was shouting for help."

The Post-2021 Paradox

The irony is striking: Pakistan, which once supported the Taliban's rise to power, now finds itself bombing Afghan territory controlled by the same group. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Pakistan-Afghanistan relations have deteriorated dramatically.

The latest strikes represent the most extensive military action since October's border clashes killed over 70 people on both sides. Despite mediation efforts by Qatar, Turkey, and most recently Saudi Arabia, the two countries have failed to reach a lasting agreement.

Pakistan insists that Afghan-based militants use the country as a safe haven to launch attacks across the border. Afghanistan's Taliban government denies harboring these groups, creating a diplomatic deadlock that plays out in civilian casualties.

The Human Cost of Geopolitical Chess

The border has been largely closed for months, devastating local communities on both sides. According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, Pakistani military actions killed 70 Afghan civilians between October and December alone.

Afghanistan's defense ministry has promised "an appropriate and calculated response," suggesting the cycle of retaliation will continue. This escalation occurs as the region grapples with economic crisis, humanitarian needs, and the Islamic State's growing presence through its regional affiliate, Islamic State-Khorasan.

The civilian toll raises fundamental questions about counterterrorism strategy. When security operations consistently hit civilian targets, do they enhance security or create new grievances that fuel further violence?

The Broader Regional Stakes

This conflict extends beyond bilateral tensions. The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region has become a laboratory for testing the limits of sovereignty in the age of transnational terrorism. Pakistan argues it has the right to pursue militants across borders when the host country cannot or will not act. Afghanistan maintains its territorial integrity must be respected.

International observers face their own dilemma: condemning civilian casualties while acknowledging legitimate security concerns. The challenge becomes more complex when considering that many of the militant groups operating in the region emerged from decades of foreign intervention and regional proxy conflicts.