Afghanistan Conducts Airstrikes In Pakistan Amid Rising Cross-Border Tensions

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated sharply after the Taliban-led Afghan Ministry of Defence announced that it carried out overnight airstrikes inside Pakistani territory targeting alleged Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) facilities. The development marks a significant rise in cross-border hostilities between the two neighbours, both of which have accused each other of harbouring militant groups along the frontier.

According to the Afghan defence ministry, the operations were conducted by the Islamic Emirate’s air force in areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The ministry stated that the strikes targeted suspected militant hideouts in Gulistan area of Qila Abdullah district, Shakar Ab Jungle Gardi in Chagai district, and the Orakzai region. These locations, Kabul claimed, were being used to plan and coordinate attacks against Afghanistan and functioned as operational bases for hostile groups.

The Afghan government described the strikes as a “precise response” to ongoing cross-border threats and asserted that all pre-identified targets were successfully struck. It further warned that Afghanistan would not tolerate any threats to its territorial security and would continue to take necessary action against militant activity originating beyond its borders. The statement reflects an increasingly assertive posture from Kabul amid rising regional security concerns.

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The latest escalation comes amid reports of Pakistani air operations inside Afghanistan in recent days, which Afghan authorities have strongly condemned. Kabul has accused Islamabad of targeting civilian areas and causing casualties among women and children, while Pakistan has maintained that its strikes are directed at militant infrastructure used for cross-border attacks. The mutual allegations have further strained already fragile diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Both sides have long accused each other of providing space for militant groups operating along the Durand Line border. Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that factions linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are based in Afghan territory, while the Taliban government has consistently denied these allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not used against any neighbouring state. The ongoing exchange of accusations has contributed to a cycle of retaliation and mistrust.

Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions have shown little progress, with Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently stating that talks with the Taliban administration had effectively failed. Meanwhile, the continued border clashes and airstrikes have disrupted trade routes and heightened insecurity in border regions. Analysts warn that without immediate de-escalation, the situation could deepen instability across one of South Asia’s most volatile frontiers.

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