Pakistan rejects reports of strikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar province as ‘blatant lie’

The information ministry on Monday rejected Afghan media reports alleging that the Pakistan Army carried out missile or air strikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, calling the claims “false” and “frivolous”.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry’s fact-checking account shared a picture from Afghan news outlet TOLOnews claiming that “Pakistani military conducted missile/jet attacks on Kunar province on April 27, targeting Sayyed Jamaluddin Afghan University and residential areas, killing three people and injuring 45 (mostly women and children), as per Najibullah Hanif.”

The ministry dismissed the allegations, saying the claim “is a blatant lie and an attempt to gain sympathy to cover up support by the Afghan Taliban to Fitna al Khwarij”.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“Pakistan’s targeting is precise and intelligence-based. No strike has been carried out at Sayyed Jamaluddin Afghan University. The claims are frivolous and fake,” the statement said.

The ministry further accused Afghan media of repeating a pattern of “fake news to cover up support for terrorist groups and proxies like Fitna al Khwarij”, adding that such reports were often amplified by Indian media.

In another post on X, the ministry criticised what it called “continuous propaganda” surrounding fake strikes in Kunar, accusing Afghan media and officials of being backed by “Indian propagandists”.

“It indicates that the Afghan Taliban regime, having nothing to offer to its citizens in terms of service, welfare and governance, relies only on misinformation and hate,” the statement said.

“The only thing they have learnt from their Indian propaganda masters is lies and false flag operations. Such pathetic antics and vile accusations are absurd,” it added.

The ministry clarified that, under Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, any future Pakistani strikes on Afghan-based militant infrastructure would be “well declared, fully owned, and backed by precise evidence of targeting terror support infrastructure”.

It added that such operations, whenever and wherever conducted, would follow established procedures and past patterns of announced military action.

According to Reuters, the Taliban government alleged that mortar and rocket attacks launched by Pakistan killed four people and injured 70 others, as fighting between the two countries erupted again and threatened to derail fragile peace talks.

About 30 students, women, and children were among those reportedly injured in the attacks, which targeted homes and the Syed Jamaluddin Afghani University in ​Kunar province’s Asadabad, the Taliban’s deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat alleged.

“We strongly condemn these attacks by the Pakistani military regime, in which ordinary people, academic and educational institutions were targeted, and declare them unforgivable war crimes,” he said in a post on X.

The worst fighting in years erupted between the allies-turned-foes in February, with Pakistani airstrikes ​inside Afghanistan that Islamabad said targeted terrorist strongholds.

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Islamabad has said Kabul provides safe haven to terrorists executing attacks ‌on ⁠Pakistan from its soil. The Taliban has denied the allegations and said militancy in Pakistan is an internal problem.

China, which was mediating between the ​countries, said earlier this month that it had agreed during peace talks in ​Urumqi to ⁠explore a comprehensive solution to their conflict.

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq was launched in February following renewed clashes along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan.

Last month, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had announced a “temporary pause” in Operation at the request of the brotherly Islamic countries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Republic of Turkiye in view of the Eidul Fitr holidays. However, the operation was resumed after Eid.

As per the latest update shared by Tarar on April 5, 796 Afghan Taliban operatives had been killed and more than 1,043 injured. He added that 286 check-posts had been destroyed and 44 others captured by Pakistani security forces. “Two hundred and forty-nine tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns have also been destroyed during the operation,” he said.

Pakistan earlier carried out air strikes targeting camps of the TTP and Islamic State Khorasan Province inside Afghanistan after a wave of attacks in Pakistan, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad.

Islamabad has long maintained that TTP leaders operate from Afghan territory, an allegation that Kabul has repeatedly denied. Tensions also surged after a series of explosions in Kabul on October 9 last year. Taliban forces subsequently targeted areas along Pakistan’s border, prompting Islamabad to respond with cross-border shelling.

The exchanges caused casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides and led to the suspension of trade after border crossings were closed on October 12, 2025.