Pakistan launches airstrikes on Kabul and two Afghan provinces, says Kabul
Pakistan carried out extensive airstrikes early Friday on military positions in Afghanistan, escalating tensions along the shared border. The strikes followed what Islamabad described as retaliatory operations by Afghan forces.
Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the attacks, which reportedly targeted Kabul as well as other areas. Multiple explosions were heard in the capital around 2:30 a.m. local time, though Afghan officials said no civilian casualties had been reported.
The latest escalation comes after Afghanistan launched cross-border attacks in response to Pakistani airstrikes last Sunday inside Afghan territory. Islamabad said those earlier strikes killed 70 militants, while Afghan officials and the United Nations reported civilian casualties — a claim Pakistan denies.
Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said at least eight Afghan soldiers were killed in Thursday’s border clashes and claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers died. Pakistan confirmed the loss of two soldiers. Kabul later announced that its four-hour retaliatory operations along the Durand Line had ended at midnight.
Meanwhile, Pakistan said its military action was ongoing. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stated that Pakistani counterstrikes targeted military positions in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar. He claimed 133 Afghan soldiers were killed and more than 200 wounded, and said numerous military posts, headquarters, and equipment were destroyed. These claims could not be independently verified.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Asif Khawaja accused Afghanistan of harboring militants and criticized its leadership, alleging it had aligned itself with India since NATO’s withdrawal in 2021. Afghan authorities have not responded to these remarks.
Tensions between the two neighbors have worsened in recent months, with Pakistan accusing militants of operating from Afghan territory — allegations Kabul denies — despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce friction.
Source:AA
