Pakistan Conducts Airstrikes in Kabul Following Afghan Border Attack
Pakistan executed airstrikes in Kabul and two additional Afghan provinces early Friday, according to Afghanistan's government spokesperson. This military action occurred mere hours after Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistani border troops, marking a significant escalation in violence between the two volatile neighbors. The recent clashes have rendered a Qatar-mediated ceasefire increasingly fragile and unstable.
Details of the Airstrikes and Border Clash
At least three explosions were reported in Kabul, though precise locations and potential casualties remain unconfirmed. Pakistan's Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, described the strikes as a "befitting response" to what he termed open aggression by the Afghan Taliban. Government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistan also targeted Kandahar to the south and the southeastern province of Paktian.
Afghanistan stated its military initiated the cross-border attack into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas the previous Sunday. Afghan authorities claimed to have captured over a dozen Pakistani army posts during the assault. However, Pakistan's government dismissed these claims, labeling the Afghan attack as unprovoked and asserting that last Sunday's airstrikes were directed at militants harbored in the region.
Conflicting Casualty Reports and Border Tensions
Casualty figures from the conflict vary dramatically between the two nations. Afghanistan's Defense Ministry reported 55 Pakistani soldiers killed, with some bodies taken into Afghanistan and several others captured alive. The ministry claimed eight Afghan casualties and 11 wounded, along with the destruction of 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases. In contrast, Pakistan's Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, stated only two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded, with 36 Afghan fighters reported dead. Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied any Pakistani soldiers were captured.
The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, known as the Durand Line and spanning 2,611 kilometers, remains a contentious issue, as Afghanistan has never formally recognized it. Tensions have been elevated for months, with deadly border clashes in October resulting in dozens of casualties among soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants. Previous violence included explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials attributed to Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to conduct strikes deep inside Afghanistan targeting militant hideouts.
Humanitarian Impact and Evacuations
The conflict has triggered significant humanitarian concerns on both sides of the border. Afghan authorities evacuated a refugee camp near the Torkham border crossing after several refugees were wounded. Qureshi Badlon, head of Torkham's Information and Public Awareness Board, reported that 13 civilians, including women and children, were injured in a missile strike on the camp. On the Pakistani side, local police indicated residents were evacuating to safer areas, and Afghan refugees awaiting repatriation were relocated to secure locations. This follows Pakistan's sweeping crackdown on migrants in October 2023, which led to the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of people.
Pakistani police also reported mortars fired from Afghanistan landing in nearby villages, though no civilian casualties were confirmed. Pakistan's information ministry emphasized in a social media post that "Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens."
Ceasefire and Diplomatic Efforts
A Qatari-mediated ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan has largely held but has been punctuated by occasional cross-border fire exchanges. Several rounds of peace talks in November failed to yield a formal agreement, underscoring the persistent instability in the region. The latest escalation threatens to further undermine diplomatic efforts and exacerbate the already tense relations between the two neighboring countries.
