Afghan Taliban forces launched a bold counteroffensive against Pakistan, striking high-value military targets just six kilometers from the Prime Ministerโs Office (PMO) in Islamabad’s Faizabad area, connected to Tabassum Road, using precision airstrikes on specialized “Atomic” facilities, resulting in heavy casualties and escalating the border war to the heart of Pakistan’s capital.
Daring strikes near capital’s core
Suicide drones and air operations zeroed in on elite “Atomic” military installations in Faizabad, perilously close to the PMO, inflicting severe losses in a shocking retaliation. The assault extended to army cantonments in Nowshera, Jamrud military colony, and Abbottabad, executed successfully at 11 AM as reported by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Deputy Spokesman on X. These precision hits crippled key Pakistan Army centers, facilities, and locations, marking a dramatic penetration deep into Pakistani territory.
Taliban air force announces precision strikes
The Afghan Taliban’s Ministry of National Defense declared that its air forces executed coordinated airstrikes around 11 am on Friday, targeting critical Pakistani military sites- a camp near Faizabad in Islamabad, the army cantonment in Nowshera, the Jamrud military colony and facilities in Abbottabad.
Vengeance for Pakistan’s ‘Operation Ghazab lil-Haq’
The airstrikes came as direct payback for Pakistan’s overnight Operation Ghazab lil-Haq raids on Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, which killed over 130 Taliban fighters and destroyed vital assets like a Nangarhar ammo depot. With Islamabad declaring “open war,” the Taliban vowed unyielding response, their deputy spokesman declaring on X, “And we will give them the victory.” This cycle of vengeance- sparked by border firings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa- now threatens Pakistan’s nerve center, amplifying fears of urban warfare.
Sharif’s silence amid escalating crisis
As the strikes reverberated through Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced unprecedented peril with attacks breaching the capital’s defenses. The Taliban’s operational success underscored their reach despite military disparities, sourced from scavenged arsenals, while Pakistan’s leaders- from President Zardari’s “no one beyond reach” vow to Defense Minister Asif’s war declaration- grapple with fallout from their initial offensive. Regional mediators like Iran and Saudi Arabia race against chaos as tit-for-tat raids risk nuclear brinkmanship.