Airstrikes Hit Kabul & Paktika As Tensions Rise Along Afghan-Pakistan Border

In a post on X on Friday, 10 October, Achakzai said the strike signalled a major shift in Pakistan’s regional strategy, showcasing its resolve and capability to pursue enemies beyond its borders. He argued that the operation “redefined the rules of engagement” against India-backed militants allegedly operating inside Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has not issued any official comment on the Thursday night airstrike in Kabul, and there has been no independent verification of the incident or its intended targets.

Achakzai added that Pakistan now faces what he termed a “three-front war”, against India in the east, the Afghan Taliban in the west, and domestic militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

He said the airstrike served as a clear message to the Taliban leadership that Pakistan “will not tolerate” any alignment with India or groups acting against Islamabad’s interests from Afghan soil.

The journalist, who lost her job after the Taliban’s return to power and the imposition of strict media restrictions, said Taliban forces raided her home without cause, threatened her, and beat her husband. She added that after months of hardship, she was forced to flee Afghanistan, but Taliban guards beat her and her son at the Pakistan border.

She told the tribunal that her husband remains in critical condition due to Taliban beatings and that her family continues to suffer from severe psychological trauma. “I have nightmares every night, imagining the Taliban attacking again,” she said, adding that such fear is shared by many Afghan women and female journalists.

The witness also described how the Taliban extract forced confessions from journalists and torture detainees, expressing frustration that “the voices of Afghan women are not being heard.”

Hamid Obaidi, head of the Afghan Media Support Organization, told Afghanistan International on the sidelines of the hearing that the Taliban have imposed at least 25 restrictions on the media over the past four years.

He said these documented human rights violations should be presented to international institutions, emphasising that the persecution of women journalists remains one of the central issues under review at the People’s Tribunal for Afghan Women.

In a statement released on Thursday, 9 October, UNICEF said it has organised mental health workshops across Afghanistan for children struggling with anxiety and depression. The agency stressed the urgent need for a national child mental health strategy to address the growing crisis.

UNICEF said it continues to work to ensure that Afghan children have access to healthcare, compassion and hope for the future. Global organisations have repeatedly warned of the deteriorating access to healthcare for women and children in Afghanistan.

The head of the children’s ward at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar previously told reporters that, due to a shortage of facilities, three children often share one hospital bed, with most suffering from severe malnutrition.

In July, UNICEF also warned that climate change is worsening food insecurity among Afghan children. The agency estimates that more than 875,000 children under the age of five are suffering from acute, life-threatening malnutrition.

He added that the group's restrictions have alsocreated major barriers to their employment and independence.

Speaking on the second day of the tribunal’s hearings in Madrid, Mudassir said the Taliban’s policies have deprived women of access to essential services, education, justice and economic participation, leaving them increasingly isolated.

He noted that the measures have disproportionately targeted young women and girls, calling the restrictions “deliberate and discriminatory” and a direct violation of international laws and conventions.

“These policies have severely curtailed women’s participation in Afghanistan’s economic, social and cultural life,” Mudassir said.

He also highlighted the particular hardships faced by women with disabilities, saying the cumulative impact of the Taliban’s restrictions violates basic human rights and contradicts Afghanistan’s obligations under international treaties.

During this session of the tribunal, Mudassir and fellow prosecutor Azada Raz Mohammad are presenting charges against the Taliban related to the suppression of freedom of movement, bodily autonomy, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Witnesses are also expected to testify before the court.

The shooting occurred near Hanzala Mosque in the Shahr-e-Naw area, close to Paigeer’s residence. He was transferred to Emergency Hospital, where sources said he had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Neighbours reportedly rushed to help Paigeer and managed to detain the suspected assailant before authorities arrived. Informed sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban have since restricted access to the analyst, preventing visitors from seeing him in hospital.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior confirmed the incident, saying Paigeer underwent surgery after the attack. No individual or group has claimed responsibility.

Paigeer, known for his political commentary, has at times expressed support for the Taliban administration but has also criticised some of its policies, including the continued closure of girls’ schools.