Islamabad: Dozens of Afghan civilians were killed or injured as the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carried out airstrikes on residential areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, targeting Afghan-based militant groups blamed for recent suicide attacks in Pakistan.

Afghan authorities said the strikes hit Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, killing and wounding “dozens of people, including women and children,” according to government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.

Pakistan confirmed the operation, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stating the strikes targeted seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and its affiliates.

The action also hit an affiliate of the Islamic State group, which had claimed responsibility for a recent suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people and injured more than 160 – one of the deadliest attacks on the city since the 2008 Marriott hotel bombing.

The Pakistani Army said the strikes were a “retributive response” after repeated efforts to persuade the Afghan Taliban to take action against militants operating from Afghan territory went unheeded. “Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region, but the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority,” the statement said.

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Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with deadly border clashes in recent months. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing militants, particularly the TTP, to use Afghan soil to launch attacks, a claim denied by Kabul.