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Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan have killed at least 10 people, according to the United Nations. The strikes hit Kunar and Helmand provinces on Thursday, 1st October 2026. Pakistan says it targeted militant camps and killed 22 militants. The Taliban government in Kabul says ordinary people were hit. These two stories do not match, and neither can be checked on the ground from the reports available. What is clear is that Pakistan Afghanistan tensions are rising again, and civilians are paying the price.
What Happened in Kunar and Helmand
On Thursday, the UN mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, shared a statement on X. It said it had confirmed the deaths of at least 10 people. Most of them were children. Another nine people were hurt. The strikes took place in Kunar and Helmand provinces.
UNAMA did not name Pakistan in its statement. However, no other country has said it carried out recent air attacks in Afghanistan, and Pakistan has openly spoken about the operation.
The Taliban government first reported a slightly lower number. It said nine people were killed, including women and children, and 11 were wounded. The UN figure is the latest confirmed count. It could change as more details come in.
Pakistan’s Side of the Story
Pakistani officials say the target was militant hideouts and camps, not homes. They claim 22 militants died and that weapons and ammunition were destroyed. They also describe the mission as carefully planned and precise.
In the reports reviewed for this article, Pakistan has not accepted the UN finding that most victims were children. It is also hard to test the claims of either side, because reporters have very limited access to the areas that were hit.
What the Taliban Government Says
The Taliban government rejected Pakistan’s account. Officials in Kabul say Pakistani forces attacked civilian areas, and they called the bombing an act of aggression. This matches how Kabul has described other Pakistani strikes this year.
How the UN Responded
UNAMA said civilians keep suffering because of cross-border violence. It asked both sides to calm tensions, talk to each other and follow international law. It also reminded them of three basic rules of war: tell fighters apart from civilians, keep attacks in proportion, and take steps to avoid harm.
Richard Bennett, the UN expert on human rights in Afghanistan, called for accountability. He said this was another air strike that had killed civilians, mostly children.
Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict in 2026: A Growing Pattern
The recent strikes are part of a longer story. On 21st September, UNAMA confirmed that three civilians, a man, a woman and a girl, died in apparent airstrikes in Kunar. Four others were hurt. Afghan authorities said Paktika was also hit.
Across 2026, UNAMA has counted more than 1,100 civilians killed or wounded by cross-border violence in Afghanistan. Khaama Press reports that tensions rose again after several months of relative calm.
Earlier claims are much larger. The Taliban government says Pakistani attacks between 22nd February and 3rd April killed 761 people and wounded 626. These numbers come from Afghan authorities and have not been confirmed independently.
Pakistan points to militant attacks inside its own borders as the reason for its actions. One example in public reports is a suicide bombing on 16th February at a border checkpoint in Bajaur, which killed a child and 11 security personnel. Public reference sources also describe a strike earlier this year on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. UNAMA is reported to have counted at least 269 deaths, while Pakistan said it hit nearby military sites and did not target the centre.
Quick Facts: Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan
- Date: Thursday, 1st October 2026
- Where: Kunar and Helmand provinces, Afghanistan
- UN-confirmed toll: at least 10 civilians killed, most of them children, and nine injured
- Pakistan’s claim: 22 militants killed, camps and weapons destroyed
- Taliban government’s claim: civilian areas attacked; early count of nine dead and 11 wounded
- UN count for 2026: more than 1,100 civilians killed or wounded by cross-border violence
What Happens Next
Several questions are still open. Will UNAMA or another body publish a full investigation, with details about each victim? Will Pakistan answer the calls for accountability or share proof for its claim of 22 militants killed? Will either government show interest in the dialogue the UN is asking for? And will more strikes follow in the coming days? A new round of attacks would suggest the recent calm is over.
Reporting for this article draws on CBS News, The Print, Afghanistan International, Khaama Press, Pajhwok Afghan News, Ariana News and News Today. Casualty numbers and military claims are credited to the groups that made them. The Khilafat Times has not verified them independently.
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The Khilafat Times
