Pakistan Carries Out Overnight Airstrikes in Afghanistan; Eight Afghan Cricketers Among Dozens Killed

Kabul, October 18 (Udaipur Kiran): Pakistan launched aerial strikes across multiple regions of Afghanistan overnight, killing several civilians, including eight Afghan cricket players, according to local reports. The attacks took place in Paktika province’s Arghun and Bermal districts, escalating tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border amid ongoing peace talks in Doha.

According to The Balochistan Post (Pashto edition), the Pakistani military targeted several areas in Arghun and Bermal districts, with casualties including women and children. The report added that the eight cricketers who lost their lives were traveling from the provincial capital to their home districts when they were struck. Afghan media said that most of the strikes occurred in residential zones, and the exact number of casualties is still being verified.

TOLOnews reported that dozens of homes and a school were destroyed in the Kabul region following the air raids. One resident, Abdul Rahim (50), said his house — where he lived with six family members — was heavily damaged. “Thankfully, my family wasn’t home at the time, but I’m terrified after this attack,” he said. Another resident, Habibullah, told the channel that a rocket hit his house and an adjacent school that had over 500 students.

Over the past 48 hours, at least 40 people have been killed and 170 injured in similar attacks, according to Afghan authorities. Health officials in Spin Boldak, a border district in Kandahar, confirmed a large number of civilian casualties, including children.

Local residents and survivors accused Pakistan of violating international humanitarian laws by deliberately targeting civilian homes and infrastructure. Alongside air raids, artillery shelling reportedly struck several villages — including Nokli, Haji Hasan Kelay, Wardak, Kuchian, Shorabak, and Shaheed — destroying homes and displacing families.

The situation remains tense as both nations exchange accusations, even as peace negotiations continue in Doha to extend the temporary ceasefire between the two sides.