Afghanistan has vowed an appropriate response to Pakistani airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces, with government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accusing Pakistan’s military of deliberately targeting civilian areas.

He described the attacks as a repetition of crimes against Afghanistan and warned that Kabul would not remain passive in the face of such aggression.

In a statement posted on X, Mujahid confirmed that three civilians were killed and four others wounded in Kunar. The victims included one woman and two men, while two women and two men sustained injuries. In Paktika, a house and a local shop were bombed, though no casualties were reported. 

Mujahid condemned the strikes as aggression and oppression, asserting that Pakistan’s military establishment was attempting to divert attention from its own internal security failures. He declared that Afghans would deliver an appropriate response to this aggression.

TOLOnews, citing local sources, reported that Pakistani fighter jets carried out airstrikes in several parts of Afghanistan early Monday morning. The Rakha and Torkandi areas of Barmal district in Paktika province were specifically targeted in two separate strikes. A separate strike in Kunar province killed three people and injured several others, corroborating Mujahid’s account.

The latest escalation comes amid continuing cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a documented civilian toll from earlier clashes. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported in its April to June 2026 update that its Human Rights Service documented 399 civilian casualties — 57 killed and 342 injured — as a result of cross-border armed violence during the period.

These casualties included 40 women and 112 children. UNAMA identified airstrikes and ground engagements as the leading causes of civilian harm.

UNAMA further stated that all cross-border civilian casualties documented in Afghanistan during the April-June period were attributed to Pakistani security forces. Provinces such as Paktya, Paktika and Kunar recorded the largest number of civilian casualties from airstrikes.

The mission had earlier confirmed that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in Pakistani airstrikes carried out in Paktya, Paktika and Kunar on 28 June. Women and children were among the victims, while Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acknowledged that its security forces had conducted strikes in the three provinces.

UNAMA’s data for January to March 2026 also recorded 372 civilians killed and 397 injured due to cross-border armed violence between Afghanistan’s de facto security forces and the Pakistani military. These figures highlight the persistent cycle of violence and the heavy toll on Afghan civilians.

Mujahid’s latest warning follows his earlier remarks on Saturday, when he asserted that Afghanistan had the right to defend its territory against Pakistani military action. He cautioned Islamabad of a crushing response if it continued to carry out strikes inside Afghanistan.

In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Mujahid rejected Pakistan’s allegations that Afghan territory was being used by militant groups to recruit, train and launch attacks against Pakistan. He argued that if Pakistan invoked Article 51 to justify violations of Afghan sovereignty, Afghanistan would exercise its right to defend itself.

Mujahid emphasised that any Pakistani military operation inside Afghanistan would constitute a violation of sovereignty and could trigger a strong retaliatory response from Kabul. His remarks underline the growing tensions between the two neighbours and the potential for further escalation if Pakistan continues its cross-border strikes.