Pakistan conducted air strikes on multiple locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites used for drone storage and launching operations. The strikes hit facilities in Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces, according to statements from the Afghan Taliban government spokesperson. Pakistani officials characterized the military action as a response to cross-border drone attacks, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar describing the strikes as deliberate, precise, and limited to identified military objectives linked to attempted attacks on Pakistan.
Afghan Taliban officials rejected Pakistan’s allegations, denying that their government was responsible for launching drones into Pakistan. The Afghan government has consistently maintained that it does not harbor anti-Pakistani armed groups and characterizes such attacks as Pakistan’s internal security matter. Residents in Kandahar city reported witnessing the air strikes, with eyewitness accounts describing jets, explosions, and fires in the area.
The strikes represent an escalation in tensions between the neighboring nations following a period of relative stability. Recent attacks in Pakistan, including a police facility assault last week that killed at least 21 people, prompted the military action. Earlier in the week, air raids on northeastern Afghanistan resulted in civilian casualties, with Pakistani officials claiming to have targeted militant positions.
These developments occur amid broader regional mediation efforts led by China, Turkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia aimed at achieving a sustainable peace agreement between the two countries. Relations have remained strained following significant fighting in February, marking one of the most severe periods of conflict between the former allies in recent years. The current escalation threatens to undermine ongoing diplomatic initiatives designed to resolve the cross-border dispute.
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