Afghan forces carried out a drone strike on Friday targeting a military facility known as the โHamzaโ base in the Faizabad area of Islamabad, Pakistan. According to security sources, the strike specifically targeted the military installation within the Pakistani capital, TOLO News reports.
However, authorities have not yet released details about the extent of the damage or any potential casualties resulting from the incident.
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the operation, stating that the drone strike caused both material damage and casualties at the Hamza military base in central Islamabad. Independent verification of these claims has not yet been possible.
In response to the reported attack, Pakistan scrambled fighter jets over the capital as a precautionary measure. Local reports also indicate that operations at Islamabad International Airport were temporarily suspended amid heightened security concerns.
So far, Pakistani officials have not issued a formal statement regarding the alleged strike or the Talibanโs claims. The situation remains fluid, with security forces reportedly maintaining heightened alert levels in and around Islamabad.
Escalating PakistanโAfghanistan conflict
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply deteriorated since October 2025, culminating in intense clashes marked by attacks and counterattacks along their long shared border.
Islamabad announced on Wednesday that its security forces have killed at least 641 Afghan Taliban fighters and wounded more than 855 others in the latest military offensive. The campaign, dubbed Operation Ghazab lilโHaq, was initiated on February 26 after Afghan Taliban forces allegedly struck 53 positions along the 2,611โkm frontier.
According to the Information Minister, Pakistani troops have demolished 243 Taliban border posts and seized and destroyed 42 additional locations previously held by insurgents. He added that 219 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery pieces were also taken out during the operation, and that air strikes have effectively hit 65 targets inside Afghan territory.
These developments come amid media reports that veteran jihadi figures are quietly exploring possible negotiations to ease tensions between Islamabad and the Talibanโled government in Kabul, even as fierce fighting continues.
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