Seven killed, 75 hurt in Afghanistan attack in Kunar
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Islamabad
- Apr 28, 2026
- 488
At least seven people were killed and over 75 others injured in a series of attacks in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar Province on Monday, with victims including university students, children, and civilians.
According to BBC, local officials said the strikes hit residential areas as well as Syed Jamaluddin Afghani University in the provincial capital Asadabad. Mortars and rockets were reportedly used in the assault, which began around 2 p.m.
Taliban government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat accused Pakistan of carrying out the attack. However, Pakistan firmly denied the allegations, with its Information Ministry stating that claims of targeting universities and civilian areas are “completely false.”
The violence came a day after another clash along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border in the Kandahar region. Reports by Khaama Press claimed that fighting broke out overnight in Spin Boldak, where both sides exchanged fire.
According to these reports, six Pakistani soldiers were killed, one was taken hostage by Taliban fighters, and weapons were seized. However, these claims remain unconfirmed. It was also reported that cross-border firing from Pakistan killed a local child, prompting a retaliatory response from Taliban forces.
Tensions between the two countries have been escalating for months. In March, Pakistan allegedly carried out an attack on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, resulting in more than 400 deaths. Although a ceasefire later that month temporarily halted weeks of violence, the situation now appears to be deteriorating again.
Several countries, including China, Turkey, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have attempted to mediate and ease tensions.
The current phase of conflict dates back to February 22, when Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghan border regions. Pakistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry claimed that at least 70 fighters were killed in operations targeting Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts, while Pakistani newspaper Dawn later reported the figure could be around 80.
In retaliation, Afghanistan launched strikes on February 27. The Afghan Defence Ministry warned that Pakistan would face a “strong response at the right time,” calling the earlier attacks a violation of national sovereignty.
Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban government of allowing TTP militants to operate from its territory—an allegation Kabul has consistently denied.
The roots of the conflict with TTP trace back to 2001, when Pakistan supported the United States during the invasion of Afghanistan. The TTP opposed this stance, accusing the Pakistani government of acting against its interpretation of Islam, and has since carried out repeated attacks within Pakistan.
The TTP is believed to have close ties with the Afghan Taliban, with both groups seen as ideologically aligned. Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has conducted multiple operations targeting TTP elements across the border, further straining relations between the two countries.