Pakistan’s military rejects UN report alleging hundreds of civilian deaths in strikes on Afghanistan

Pakistan's military has rejected a UN report alleging that its cross-border operations killed nearly 500 civilians in Afghanistan between October and June. Military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry stated that Pakistan targeted only militant hideouts and infrastructure of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claiming those killed were militants and that operations were in self-defense. Chaudhry questioned the UN report's reliance on Afghan accounts and accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan. He also highlighted Pakistan's own counterterrorism efforts, reporting thousands of incidents and militant deaths since January. The military vowed to continue its operations, asserting it is winning the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan has conducted multiple air strikes in Afghanistan since October 2025, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including a deadly attack on a Kabul drug rehabilitation center in March 2026. While Pakistan claims these operations target the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it accuses Afghanistan's Taliban of supporting, the strikes have not eliminated key TTP figures. The article suggests Pakistan's actions are driven by a broader pursuit of strategic dominance in Afghanistan, evolving from its historical policy of "strategic depth." This policy aims to control Afghanistan as an extension of Pakistan's security perimeter, potentially influenced by concerns over Afghanistan's growing ties with India. The TTP's origins predate the Afghan Taliban and are rooted in Pakistan's internal dynamics.