Karzai condemns Pakistan airstrikes in Kunar, Paktika as sovereignty breach
Synopsis
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban have both condemned Pakistani airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika that killed three civilians — a rare moment of alignment between Kabul's past and present leaderships. With UNAMA documenting 57 cross-border deaths since April and the Taliban warning of an 'appropriate response,' the Pakistan-Afghanistan standoff is edging toward a dangerous new threshold.
Key Takeaways
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned Pakistan 's airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika on 21 September 2026 , calling them a 'breach of Afghanistan's sovereignty.' The strikes killed three civilians — one woman and two men in Kunar — and injured four others , according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid .
Mujahid warned that Afghans would give 'an appropriate response' and accused Pakistan of diverting attention from domestic security failures.
UNAMA documented 57 killed and 342 injured in cross-border violence in Afghanistan between 1 April and 30 June , attributing all casualties to Pakistani security forces.
Among the victims in that period: 26 children killed , 86 injured ; 6 women killed , 34 injured .
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of allowing the TTP to operate from Afghan soil — a claim Afghan authorities deny.
Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Monday, 21 September 2026, strongly condemned Pakistan's airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces, calling the action a 'breach of Afghanistan's sovereignty'. Karzai's rebuke follows Taliban authorities' confirmation that Pakistani strikes killed three people and injured four others in the two provinces.
Karzai's Condemnation
In a Pashto-language post on X, Karzai wrote that he 'strongly condemned' the Pakistan airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika, which he said 'resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of a number of our compatriots,' terming the action 'a breach of Afghanistan's sovereignty.' He also offered condolences to the families of victims and wished speedy recovery to those injured.
Karzai further argued that Pakistan's ongoing security problems were a direct consequence of its own 'misguided policies' towards Afghanistan, and expressed hope that Islamabad would reconsider its approach and 'choose the path of good neighbourliness.'
Taliban's Response and Casualties
The ruling Taliban's chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also condemned the strikes and issued a stark warning that Afghans would deliver 'an appropriate response to this aggression.' In a post on X, Mujahid detailed the toll: in Kunar, one woman and two men were killed, with two women and two men wounded — all described as civilian residents. In Paktika, one house and one local shop were struck, with no casualties reported there.
Mujahid accused Pakistan's military establishment of launching strikes on Afghan territory to divert domestic attention from 'its own internal security failures' — a charge Islamabad has not formally responded to.
Escalating Cross-Border Tensions
The latest strikes are part of a broader pattern of deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan over recent months. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of allowing the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan soil — allegations that Afghan authorities have consistently denied.
This comes amid a documented surge in cross-border violence. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported on 28 July that 57 people were killed and 342 others injured in cross-border armed violence between 1 April and 30 June. Airstrikes and ground engagements were identified as the primary causes of civilian harm, with all cross-border civilian casualties during that period attributed to Pakistani security forces.
Scale of Civilian Harm: UN Data
UNAMA's figures paint a grim picture: among the civilian casualties recorded between April and June, 26 children were killed and 86 injured, while six women were killed and 34 injured. The UN agency noted that the largest single cluster of casualties came from Pakistani airstrikes in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar on 28 June, followed by cross-border shelling in Kunar between 27 and 29 April, which alone resulted in 99 civilian casualties — including eight killed and 91 injured.
What Happens Next
With the Taliban vowing retaliation and a former Afghan president adding a prominent civilian voice to the condemnation, pressure on Islamabad is mounting internationally. The international community — already alarmed by UNAMA's data — is likely to face renewed calls to broker de-escalation. How Pakistan responds to the dual condemnation from both the Taliban government and Karzai will determine whether the current cycle of strikes and counter-warnings hardens into a sustained conflict.
Point of View
On the question of Pakistani strikes, there is no daylight between Afghanistan's rival power centres. Islamabad's 'TTP safe haven' justification is losing whatever international credibility it had, especially as UNAMA's documented toll of 57 killed and 342 injured now provides a hard evidentiary baseline. Pakistan faces a narrowing choice: pursue a military strategy that is generating UN-documented civilian harm and hardening Afghan resolve, or re-engage diplomatically on TTP — a conversation Rawalpindi has so far avoided on terms Kabul could accept. The real risk is that both sides are now speaking primarily to domestic audiences, making de-escalation structurally harder even as the casualty count climbs.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Hamid Karzai condemn Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan?
Karzai condemned the strikes in Kunar and Paktika because they killed and wounded Afghan civilians and, in his view, constituted a breach of Afghanistan's sovereignty. He also argued that Pakistan's security problems stem from its own 'misguided policies' toward Afghanistan, and urged Islamabad to pursue good neighbourliness instead.
How many people were killed in Pakistan's airstrikes on Kunar and Paktika?
According to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the strikes killed three people — one woman and two men in Kunar province — and injured four others. In Paktika, a house and a shop were struck but no casualties were reported there.
What has the UN said about Pakistan's cross-border strikes in Afghanistan?
UNAMA reported on 28 July that 57 people were killed and 342 injured in cross-border armed violence in Afghanistan between 1 April and 30 June 2026, attributing all recorded civilian casualties to Pakistani security forces. The figures included 26 children killed and 86 injured.
What is the Taliban's response to Pakistan's latest airstrikes?
Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strikes as 'crime and aggression,' accused Pakistan's military of targeting civilians to distract from domestic security failures, and warned that Afghans would give 'an appropriate response to this aggression, God willing.'
What is the background to Pakistan-Afghanistan cross-border tensions?
Tensions have escalated over several months, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of allowing the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan soil — a charge Kabul denies. The UN has documented a sharp rise in civilian casualties from Pakistani airstrikes and ground engagements since at least April 2026.
