Border Tensions Rise as Pakistan Bombs Afghan Provinces, Three Dead

In a fresh escalation, Pakistan's air force targeted Kunar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan early Monday, causing civilian casualties. The Nurgal district in Kunar experienced a ground‑zero strike at about 03:00, leaving three people dead and several hurt, with a nearby building reduced to rubble. Around an hour later, two air bursts were recorded over Barmal district in Paktika; authorities have not yet reported any deaths.

These operations come on the heels of a violent incident at a police outpost in north‑west Pakistan, prompting analysts to warn of a possible resurgence of hostilities between the two nations, who last clashed heavily in February.