Pakistan carried out airstrikes inย Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, Afghanistan’s government spokesman said, hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops in cross-border fighting in what the Taliban government said was retaliation for earlier deadly air strikes.
At least three explosions were heard in Kabul, but there was no immediate information on the exact location of the strikes in the Afghan capital, or of any potential casualties. Explosions and the sound of aircraft were heard in Kabul early Friday, hours after the Taliban said its forces had captured military bases and posts along the disputed Durand Line.
Pakistan bombsย Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia
Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan also carried out airstrikes in Kandahar to the south and in the southeastern province of Paktia.
“Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia (province) and Kandahar,” Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of targeting areas in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. “The cowardly Pakistani military has carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia; fortunately, there have been no reported casualties,” Mujahid wrote on X.
The Taliban-led Afghan government on Thursday claimed that its forces had seized 19 Pakistani military outposts and killed 55 Pakistani soldiers during a major border operation.
The two countries’ 2,611-kilometreย (1,622-mile) long border is known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formallyย recognised.
Afghan strikes were retaliatory
Afghanistan said its military launched its attack across the border into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday, and claimed to have captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts.
“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,” Mujahid said in a post on X Thursday night. Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry said the retaliatory attacks occurred along the border in six provinces.
In a detailed press release, Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defense said the operation began at 8 pm on February 26, corresponding to the 9th of Ramadan 1447, following what it described as a Pakistani violation of Afghan territory that killed women and children.
These attacks were carried out against the troops of the Pakistani military regime on the far side of the Durand Line near Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces.
“In these retaliatory operations, the mujahideen, with high morale, simultaneously eliminated two garrisons and 19 posts of Pakistani soldiers along the Durand Line in a coordinated manner, and from 4 other posts, their soldiers fled on their own. During the four-hour battle, 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed; the bodies of some were transferred to Afghanistan by the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, a number were captured alive, and many others managed to escape,” the ministry said.
Afghan authorities confirmed losses on their side, stating that eight Taliban fighters were killed and 11 others wounded. The ministry further said that 13 Afghan civilians, including women and children, were injured in what it termed a missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.
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