Airstrikes in Afghanistan’s capital and multiple provinces came hours after Kabul announced retaliatory operations inside Pakistan, deepening instability along the disputed Durand Line.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan early Friday, including in the capital of Kabul, according to Afghan officials, marking a significant escalation in hostilities between the neighboring countries just hours after Afghanistan launched a cross-border assault into Pakistani territory.
At least three explosions were reported in Kabul, though Afghan authorities did not immediately disclose precise strike locations or casualty figures. Government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that additional airstrikes were conducted in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan and in Paktia province in the southeast.
Two senior Pakistani security officials, speaking anonymously, said Pakistan’s military targeted what they described as Afghan military installations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. The officials claimed two brigade bases were destroyed but did not provide details regarding casualties.
The airstrikes followed an Afghan military operation launched late Thursday across the border into Pakistan. Afghan authorities characterized their action as retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes conducted Sunday in Afghan border areas. Kabul claimed its forces captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts during the incursion.
Pakistan rejected that assertion. Islamabad had previously described Sunday’s strikes as operations against militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory. In response to Thursday’s Afghan offensive, Pakistan called the attack unprovoked and denied that any military posts had been seized.
Mujahid said in a statement posted Thursday night that “In response to the repeated rebellions and insurrections of the Pakistani military, large-scale offensive operations were launched against Pakistani military bases and military installations along the Durand Line.” Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said operations extended across six border provinces.
The Durand Line, a 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border drawn during British colonial rule, remains disputed by Afghanistan, which has never formally recognized it.
Casualty figures reported by the two governments diverged sharply. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry stated that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, that several bodies were transported into Afghanistan, and that others were captured alive. Afghan officials reported eight Afghan personnel killed and 11 wounded. The ministry also claimed 19 Pakistani posts and two bases were destroyed, adding that combat ceased around midnight.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reported two Pakistani soldiers killed and three wounded, and said 36 Afghan fighters had died. In a social media statement, he described Pakistan’s response as “strong and effective” against what he termed unprovoked Afghan fire.
Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied that Pakistani soldiers had been captured. Later, he stated that at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded, adding that 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine fighters captured. He did not specify where the casualties occurred and said additional losses were expected from strikes in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.
Both sides reported ongoing exchanges of fire near the Torkham border crossing. Afghan authorities began evacuating a refugee camp in the area after several refugees were wounded. Qureshi Badlon, head of Torkham’s Information and Public Awareness Board, confirmed the evacuation. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said 13 civilians, including women and children, were injured in a missile strike on the camp.
On the Pakistani side, police said residents were relocating to safer areas. Afghan refugees awaiting return were also moved to secure locations. Pakistan initiated a broad migrant crackdown in October 2023 that has resulted in the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of people.
Pakistani police reported that mortars fired from Afghanistan landed in nearby villages but did not confirm civilian casualties. Pakistan’s Information Ministry said in a statement that “Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens.”
The escalation places additional strain on a ceasefire mediated by Qatar that had largely held despite sporadic cross-border fire. Previous peace talks in November failed to yield a formal agreement.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s military said it had killed at least 70 militants during strikes along the Afghan border. Afghan authorities rejected that claim, asserting that dozens of civilians were killed, including women and children, and that civilian areas such as a religious madrassa and homes were struck, describing the action as a violation of Afghan sovereignty.
Tensions have remained elevated for months, with earlier clashes in October resulting in deaths among soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. Pakistan attributes much of the recent militant violence inside its territory to the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, which it accuses of operating from within Afghanistan. Both the TTP and Afghan authorities deny that allegation.
With military exchanges now extending into major urban areas including Kabul, the fragile stability along the border appears increasingly uncertain as both governments trade accusations and conflicting accounts of the fighting.
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