Pakistan launched ground operations and airstrikes along the Afghanistan border after deadly militant attacks, saying it killed 29 fighters linked to the Pakistan Taliban (TTP).

Afghanistan’s Taliban government condemned the strikes, claiming they killed at least 36 civilians and injured 163 others, while both countries exchanged diplomatic protests.

The operation followed a militant assault on a paramilitary headquarters in Karachi that killed three Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistan continues to accuse Afghanistan of sheltering TTP fighters, an allegation Kabul denies, Al-Jazeera has reported.

The latest violence has further strained relations between the two neighbors despite ongoing international efforts, led by China and other regional countries, to restart peace talks and prevent further escalation.