August 26, 2026

Afghanistan Watch

Deadly attack on Pakistan checkpoint leaves 15 dead as militant violence surges– www.france24.com

pgnewser July 30, 2026 0

Deadly attack on Pakistan checkpoint leaves 15 dead as militant violence surges– www.france24.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

An attack late Wednesday on a checkpoint in northern Pakistan left at least seven police officers and eight alleged “terrorists” dead, local media reported, just days after more than two dozen people were killed in a similar clash.

The Wednesday evening attack occurred in Hangu district, in Pakistan’s northern border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Geo News reported, citing local District Police Officer Tariq Habib.

An additional 22 police personnel were injured in the attack, Habib said, with a clearance operation launched in the area.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

It comes just days after unidentified militants attacked another checkpoint in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The province borders Afghanistan and has been gripped by a growing violent campaign by the Islamist Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.

In Friday’s attack, militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security check post, killing 15 people including soldiers, police and government personnel.

Security forces killed 12 militants, according to the military.

Nearly 500 civilians dead in Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict, UN says – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser July 30, 2026 1

Nearly 500 civilians dead in Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict, UN says – National– globalnews.ca
News Source
EXCERPT:

Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan has killed nearly 500 civilians in Afghanistan and wounded over 1,000 others between October and the end of June, the United Nations said Tuesday.

In a report on the human rights situation, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it had documented 499 civilians killed and 1,216 wounded by the fighting between the neighbors that has defied international peace efforts.

In one case, the report said, civilians trying to rescue others from the rubble of an airstrike were hit by a second one.

The report also explores other human rights issues, including a deadly crackdown on protests in western Afghanistan over restrictions on women’s clothing, and decrees that essentially legalize child marriage.

Death toll rises to 14 in Pakistan suicide attack. Taliban splinter group claim blast– abcnews.com

pgnewser May 11, 2026 0

News Source
EXCERPT:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — The death toll from a suicide attack on a security post in northwest Pakistan rose to 14 police officers, authorities said early Sunday. A self-proclaimed breakaway group of the Pakistan Taliban has claimed the attack.

A suicide bomber and several gunmen detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the post in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, late Saturday, said senior police official Sajjad Khan. The attack triggered an intense shootout, and some officers were killed in the exchange, while others died later after the building collapsed.

Rescuers conducted an hourslong search operation using heavy machinery to retrieve bodies from under the rubble, Khan said, adding that three police officers were wounded in the attack.

China says Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to explore a ‘comprehensive solution’– abcnews.com

pgnewser April 8, 2026 0

Blurb:

BEIJING — China’s government said Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed not to escalate their conflict and to “explore a comprehensive solution” after several weeks of cross-border fighting between the two countries that has left hundreds of people killed.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday that after seven days of peace talks in the western Chinese city of Urumqi under China mediation, all the parties also agreed to keep the dialogue.

Pakistan announces ‘temporary pause’ in strikes against Afghanistan at request of several countries– abcnews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan announced on Wednesday a pause in strikes against Afghanistan, saying the decision was made ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the pause in strikes on “terrorists and their support infrastructure in Afghanistan” in neighboring Afghanistan will take effect at midnight Wednesday and remain in place until midnight Monday.

He said: “Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms”.

Pakistani Air Strike Allegedly Kills 400 in Afghani Hospital

pgnewser March 17, 2026 0

The Taliban government of Afghanistan is accusing Pakistan of striking a drug rehab facility in Kabul that killed 400 plus people. Pakistan has been engaging in air strikes just inside the border of Afghanistan, allegedly targeting terror camp it says have been used to attack Pakistanis.

Blurb:

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of killing 400 in hospital strike (VIDEO) — RT World News

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of conducting an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, which Taliban officials said killed at least 400 people.

Pakistan has been striking alleged terrorist camps in Afghanistan since February, accusing the Taliban government of supporting attacks on Pakistani soil. The Taliban has denied any involvement in the string of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

Taliban government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the strike on Monday evening destroyed large sections of the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital.

“Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400, while around 250 others have been reported injured,” Fitrat wrote on X.

Afghan media published a video showing a building engulfed in flames.

Pakistan’s Information Ministry rejected the allegations as “false and misleading.”


 

The ministry said Pakistan targeted military sites and “terrorist support infrastructure,” including ammunition depots in Kabul and Afghanistan’s northeastern Nangarhar region.

“This misreporting of facts as a drug rehabilitation facility seeks to stir public sentiment while covering illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism,” the ministry wrote on X.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of sheltering armed groups that carry out cross-border raids and terrorist attacks, including a bombing of a mosque in Islamabad in February that killed more than 30 people. The Taliban has denied providing aid to militants who attack its neighbor.

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from www.rt.com

Pakistan says it killed 67 Afghan security force members in fifth day of fighting– japantoday.com

pgnewser March 5, 2026 0

Blurb:

Afghanistan’s ground forces attacked Pakistan’s military positions at 16 locations along the southwestern border early Tuesday and fired on multiple points in the northwest, triggering intense clashes in which 67 Afghan security force members and one Pakistani soldier were killed, as fighting between the two neighbors entered its fifth consecutive day, officials said.

Pakistan “successfully repelled these multiple attacks” along the Afghan border, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.

Afghan forces carried out ground assaults in 16 locations in the southwestern districts of Qilla Saifullah, Nushki and Chaman in Balochistan province, Tarar said on X. In retaliatory attacks, Pakistan killed 27 members of Afghan forces, he said.

 

Pakistan says it killed at least 70 militants in strikes along Afghan border – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser February 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Islamabad said it carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan early Sunday, targeting what it called hideouts of Pakistani militants it blamed for recent attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Red Crescent Society said more than a dozen people were killed.

Pakistan didn’t specify the locations targeted, but the Afghan defense ministry said in a statement “various civilian areas” in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrassa and multiple civilian homes.

The statement called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty.

Pakistan Airstrike in Afghanistan Kills Nine Children, Taliban Claims

pgnewser November 25, 2025 0

One day after a suicide bomber attack in Pakistan’s Peshawar city, Pakistan launched an air attack on the country they blame for the bombing, Afghanistan. Pakistan hit targets along the border regions of Kunar and Paktika. The suicide bombing targeted a security facility. It killed three Pakistani soldiers and injured 11 others.

Blurb:

Pakistan strikes on neighbouring Afghanistan have killed 10 people – among them nine children – a Taliban government spokesperson has said, a day after a suicide attack on a security compound in Pakistan’s Peshawar city.

“The Pakistani invading forces bombed the house of a local civilian resident … As a result, nine children (five boys and four girls) and one woman were martyred” in Khost province, Zabihullah Mujahid said on X.

Air strikes targeting the border regions of Kunar and Paktika wounded another four civilians, he added.

Pakistan government officials and the military have not commented on the raids.

Powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake kills at least 20 people in northern Afghanistan– www.euronews.com

pgnewser November 5, 2025 0

Blurb:

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn, killing at least 20 people and injuring 260 others, Afghan health officials said on Monday.

Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said at least 20 people died and 260 were injured in the earthquake. Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s disaster management agency, added that most of the injured suffered minor wounds and were discharged after receiving initial treatment.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck around midnight Monday local time, the USGS said.

What we know about Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire, will it hold? | Pakistan Taliban News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser October 21, 2025 0

Blurb:

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” after a week of deadly clashes along their border, as the ties between the two South Asian neighbours plunged to their lowest point since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Both countries agreed to stop fighting and work towards “lasting peace and stability” after peace talks in Doha, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday, about the deal it mediated alongside Turkiye.

Fierce Pakistan-Afghanistan border clash rages on; fresh visuals show intense shelling – Top developments– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser October 15, 2025 0

Blurb:

Roads were seen with moving tanks as intense clashes continued between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with both sides claiming damage and casualties. This latest confrontation left 15 Afghan civilians dead, officials in Kabul told AFP on Wednesday.The fighting broke out overnight in Spin Boldak, a southern Afghan district.Ali Mohammad Haqmal, a local spokesman, confirmed the casualties to AFP, while Abdul Jan Barak, an official at Spin Boldak district hospital, verified that dozens had been injured.

According to the Pakistan Army, its forces killed at least 15–20 Taliban fighters in the Spin Boldak area, stating that “the attack was effectively repulsed by Pakistani forces.”

Afghan Taliban hit 'several points' in Pakistan in retaliation for ...

Afghanistan Attacks Pakistan

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

The Taliban-led Afghanis launched assaults on numerous Pakistani military posts, killing between 58, according to the Taliban, and 23, according the Pakistanis, and injuring hundreds of others. So far, the conflict has not led to full-out declarations of war, though skirmishes have continued so far.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said the people of Pakistan were “indebted to the ultimate sacrifice of these heroes who laid down their lives while defending the territorial integrity of Pakistan against the cowardly and treacherous aggression of the Taliban regime and Indian sponsored terrorist proxies operating from inside Afghan soil.”

Blurb:

Once Allies, Pakistan And Afghan Taliban Lurch Toward Full-Blown Conflict

from www.rferl.org

A full-blown conflict between Afghanistan’s Taliban and neighboring Pakistan seemed unthinkable when the hard-line Islamist group, a longtime ally of Islamabad, seized power in 2021 as international troops withdrew and the government they supported collapsed.

But fears have heightened of an all-out war after the deadliest-ever clashes involving Taliban fighters and Pakistani troops over the weekend.

“This confrontation is hugely significant and could have long-term consequences for the countries,” said Sami Yousafzai, an Afghan political commentator.

Fierce fighting erupted between Taliban fighters and Pakistani security forces on October 11-12, leaving dozens dead and key border crossings closed.

The border clashes occurred just days after Pakistan carried out unprecedented drone strikes in the center of Kabul as well as air strikes in the country’s east.

Russia sends Trump bold warning over Afghanistan air base plans during Taliban talks | World | News– www.express.co.uk

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

A top Kremlin official says the US must not be allowed to retake a massive airbase in Afghanistan, warning it could lead to “new conflicts”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the comments as he hosted a delegation of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government in Moscow.

The Taliban last month rejected a bid from President Donald Trump to take back control of Bagram Air Base, which was America’s largest military site during the 20-year war in Afghanistan. In a warning to the US, Mr Lavrov said: “The deployment of military infrastructure of any third countries on the territory of Afghanistan, as well as on the territories of neighbouring states, is categorically unacceptable under any pretext.” The base has been in the hands of the Taliban since the chaotic withdrawal of US forces in 2021.

“The military presence of any extra-regional players could only lead to destabilisation and new conflicts,” Mr Lavrov said.

“The history of Afghanistan has seen a lot of situations with foreign military presence. I believe everyone should have drawn the right conclusions long time ago.”

Mr Trump previously cited Bagram Air Base’s close proximity to China — the US’ biggest economic and military competitor — as one of the reasons the US wants a presence there again.

“It’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” he said. “So a lot of things are happening.”

Trump Threatens Afghanistan With ‘Bad Things’ If Bagram Not Handed Back To US– www.rferl.org

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump Threatens Afghanistan With ‘Bad Things’ If Bagram Not Handed Back To US– www.rferl.org
Source Link
Excerpt:

US President Donald Trump threatened Afghanistan with unspecified “bad things” if it doesn’t turn the massive Bagram Air Base outside Kabul back to United States, an action previously rejected by the country’s Taliban rulers.

“If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN,” Trump said on September 20 in a Truth Social post.

Asked by reporters at the White House whether he would consider sending troops to recapture the facility, Trump said only that “we won’t talk about that.”

“We’re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away. And if they don’t do it — if they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m gonna do,” he told reporters.

The remarks come after Trump on September 18 said the United States was attempting to get Bagram Air Base back from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, citing the extremist group’s need for US help and the facility’s proximity to China’s nuclear assets.

“We’re trying to get it back because they [Taliban rulers] need things from us,” Trump said without being specific during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London.

Afghanistan bus crash kills more than 70 Afghans returning from Iran – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser August 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

A bus crash in northwestern Afghanistan killed at least 79 people returning from Iran, including 19 children, an official said.

Two people were also injured in the crash, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told The Associated Press.

Tolo News, citing the official, said the accident happened Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. local time in Herat province. The bus collided with a truck and a motorbike, causing a massive fire that killed many on the spot, the outlet reported.

China’s Foreign Policy Alliance Push

pgnewser May 29, 2025 0

China appears to be making a concerted effort to cement alliances with as many nations as possible, but not just among some of the usual suspects, like Iran, and recently, Afghanistan, but even among U.S. allies.

Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron had a phone chat with Chinese Chairman Xi, with both sides promising to work closer to one another to “safeguard the global order.” As Xi reached out to France, reports of Greenland making overtures to China make it seem as if China is aggressively attempting to peel off American allies using the promise of investment dollars to do so.

China, Russia, Iran cement Kabul ties as US reenters Afghan game – thecradle.co
Source Link
Excerpt:

An unspoken alliance is quietly chipping away at the US-backed Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), challenging India’s influence across the Indian Ocean, the Asia-Pacific region, and particularly South Asia.

This alignment – comprising China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan – has emerged as a formidable counterforce, especially in the wake of the US President Donald Trump administration’s attempts to sever Beijing’s access to vital Afghan minerals.

China has already invested $14 billion into Afghanistan’s mineral, petroleum, mining, and agriculture sectors. It has also revamped the Wakhan border with Afghanistan as part of a broader strategy that includes Iran’s plans to build the Iran–Afghanistan–China corridor.

Since the US and NATO withdrawal from Kabul in 2021, Afghanistan has become a nucleus of intense regional activity. The Taliban-led government has welcomed billions in foreign investments in mining and communications, while its ties with China and Russia have deepened.