Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that its military has targeted multiple locations within Pakistan in response to recent airstrikes that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

Last Tuesday, Pakistan initiated airstrikes aimed at dismantling a training center and neutralizing insurgents in Paktika province, Afghanistan. These strikes reportedly claimed the lives of several individuals, predominantly women and children.

The Taliban’s Defense Ministry later released a statement on the social media platform X, indicating that Afghan forces targeted specific Pakistani locations that were said to serve as operational hubs for individuals and their backers who orchestrated assaults in Afghanistan.

Enayatullah Khwarzami, a spokesperson for the ministry, refrained from providing further details regarding the execution of these rear strikes, including potential casualties reported on either side of the border. However, a media source aligned with the Taliban, Hurriyet Daily News, suggested that the retaliatory actions resulted in the deaths of 19 Pakistani soldiers and three Afghan civilians. Officials from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry could not be reached for immediate comments.

In the southeastern province of Khost, celebrations erupted in reaction to Afghanistan’s military response. Organizers like Rasheedullah Hamdard reported that thousands congregated to express their joy and convey their unwavering support for the Afghan armed forces in the face of actions taken by Pakistan. Khost is adjacent to Paktika, the area impacted by the strikes last week.

“Participants were vocally expressing their outrage against Pakistan, chanting slogans such as ‘death to Pakistan,’” stated Hamdard. “It is essential for the nation and government to display their pride and solidarity in these challenging times, as all Afghans are brothers.”

Pakistani authorities have accused the Taliban government of failing to adequately address cross-border militant threats; however, the Taliban insists that it does not permit any attacks to be launched against neighboring countries from its territory.