Karzai slams Pakistan over airstrikes killing 13 civilians in Afghanistan
Synopsis
Pakistan's military airstrikes killed 13 Afghan civilians — 11 of them children — in Kunar, Khost, and Paktika, prompting former President Hamid Karzai to demand Islamabad abandon its 'war and destruction' policy. With 12 schools destroyed in Kunar alone and diplomatic efforts stalled, the cross-border crisis is deepening fast.
Key Takeaways
Pakistani military airstrikes on Tuesday night killed 13 civilians — including 11 children , one woman, and one elderly man — in Kunar , Khost , and Paktika provinces.
14 other women and children were injured in the same strikes, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid .
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai posted on X condemning Pakistan's 'policy of war and destruction' and calling for good neighbourliness.
Last month's Pakistani strikes on Dangam district killed 3 and injured 14 , also destroying two schools, a clinic, and two mosques.
Taliban district governor Mohammad Omar Sadiq says 12 schools have been destroyed across Kunar province since Pakistan's cross-border strikes began.
Diplomatic and local mediation efforts have so far failed to halt escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan .
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday, 10 June sharply condemned Pakistan for violating Afghanistan's airspace and launching military airstrikes that killed at least 13 civilians — mostly children — in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. Karzai called on Islamabad to abandon what he described as its policy of 'war and destruction' toward Afghanistan.
The Strike and Its Toll
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the attack on civilian homes took place on Tuesday night, killing 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man, while 14 other women and children were injured. Mujahid described the strikes as a 'humanitarian crime and act of aggression,' stating that Pakistani forces had 'once again violated Afghanistan's airspace and bombed civilian homes.'
Karzai's Condemnation
Posting directly on social media platform X, Karzai wrote: 'Pakistan is grappling with the consequences of its ill-considered policies and hostile actions in the region, and it must realize that it will not achieve its goals by persisting with and pursuing those policies. Pakistan's best interest lies in abandoning its policy of war and destruction toward Afghanistan and instead choosing good neighbourliness and civilized relations.'
The former president, who led Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, has consistently been a vocal critic of Pakistani military actions across the border. His condemnation carries symbolic weight even as the current Taliban administration holds power in Kabul.
A Pattern of Cross-Border Strikes
This latest incident is not an isolated event. Last month, three people were killed and 14 others injured during Pakistani army strikes on the Dangam district in Kunar province, according to the Taliban administration. A Taliban district official separately reported that two schools, a clinic, and two mosques were destroyed in that earlier attack.
Taliban district governor in Dangam, Mohammad Omar Sadiq, alleged that Pakistani forces had shifted to targeting civilian infrastructure after losing the ability to strike directly. He stated that 80 head of cattle were killed and that 12 schools have been destroyed across Kunar province since Pakistan's cross-border strikes began.
Escalating Tensions Between Kabul and Islamabad
The strikes come amid a sustained deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations over recent months, marked by repeated exchanges of fire and mounting civilian casualties on the Afghan side. Both nations have accused each other of fuelling regional instability. Diplomatic and local mediation efforts have so far failed to halt further escalation, according to reports.
Notably, Pakistan has not issued an official public response to the latest round of strikes at the time of reporting. With civilian deaths now confirmed by Taliban authorities and a former Afghan head of state calling for international attention, pressure on Islamabad to account for its cross-border military operations is likely to grow.
Point of View
And that changes the international optics considerably. The Taliban's public condemnation, backed by granular casualty data, is a calculated move to internationalise the grievance. What is missing from mainstream coverage is the structural driver: Islamabad's strikes appear tied to its campaign against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which uses Afghan territory, but that rationale does not survive scrutiny when 11 of 13 dead are children. Karzai's intervention matters less for its political weight — he holds no office — and more because it signals that Afghan civil society and the Taliban are, for once, aligned in their messaging against Pakistan. If Islamabad continues without accountability, it risks cementing that rare unity.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many civilians were killed in Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan?
At least 13 civilians were killed — 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man — in Pakistani military airstrikes on Tuesday night targeting homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. An additional 14 women and children were injured.
Why did Hamid Karzai condemn Pakistan over the airstrikes?
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned Pakistan for violating Afghanistan's airspace and killing civilians, calling on Islamabad to abandon its 'policy of war and destruction' and choose good neighbourliness instead. He posted his condemnation directly on social media platform X on 10 June.
Has Pakistan responded to the airstrikes allegations?
Pakistan had not issued an official public response to the latest strikes at the time of reporting. Islamabad has previously justified cross-border operations as targeting militant groups, but no statement addressing this specific incident had been made.
Is this the first time Pakistan has struck Afghan territory?
No. Last month, Pakistani army strikes on the Dangam district in Kunar province killed three people and injured 14, while also destroying two schools, a clinic, and two mosques. Taliban officials say 12 schools have been destroyed across Kunar province since Pakistan's cross-border strikes began.
What is the current state of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations?
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply over recent months, with repeated cross-border exchanges of fire and rising civilian casualties. Diplomatic and local mediation efforts have so far failed to prevent further escalation, according to reports.
