Pakistan's security forces carried out an intelligence-based ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Sunday, followed by "calibrated strikes" on terrorist hideouts, killing 29 fighters, officials said.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on social media platform X/Twitter the action was launched in response to multiple terrorist attacks across the country.
Four fighters linked to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar were killed in the ground attacks, Tarar said. The group is a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.
However, Afghanistan's government spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, said the strikes killed 38 civilians and injured 163, including women and children.
The bulk of the casualties stemmed from Pakistani jets bombing a home in Paktia province, killing 28 and injuring 158, he added.
Residents were rushing to help the wounded when there was a second strike, said Khalid Ahmad Sajad, deputy head of the district of Samkani, hit in the airstrikes.
"While they were carrying out rescue efforts, Pakistani military forces launched a second airstrike on the same location," he told a press conference.
Tarar also said that, in addition to the 29 terrorist who had been killed, weapons and ammunition stored in their hideouts had been destroyed.
"Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time shall not compromise on the safety and security of our citizens, which remains our top priority," Tarar stated.
Dozens were killed and injured in the air strikes by Pakistan, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a post on X/Twitter.
"The attacks resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of civilians, including women and children. We strongly condemn this cowardly act of aggression and consider it a crime and an act of brutality," Zabiullah said.
Three Pakistani rangers killed, four injured by Taliban
This retaliation came a day after a bomb and gun attack on a Sindh Rangers facility in Karachi killed three paramilitary troops and injured four on Saturday, according to Pakistan's military.
Terrorists from the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, detonated an explosive at the entrance of the Rangers camp in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar neighborhood before opening fire on the troops, the military said in a statement.