Recent tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified after reports emerged that Taliban forces executed armed drone strikes aimed at Pakistan’s Command and Control Centre located at the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi. The Afghan Ministry of National Defense indicated via its official account on X that these operations also targeted other vital military installations, including the 12th Division headquarters in Quetta and various sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Ministry’s statement mentioned that Afghan Air Force carried out well-coordinated aerial assaults on these strategic military locations, highlighting the severity of ongoing hostilities between the two nations.

Details of the Strike

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the drone strikes included significant Pakistani military facilities beyond Nur Khan, reaching the headquarters in Quetta, the Khwazai Camp located in the Mohmand Agency, and other command centers. The Ministry shared footage of the drone operations through its X account. This development occurred against a backdrop of previous military actions, where Taliban officials asserted that a Pakistani fighter jet had been shot down in Jalalabad. Reports stated that the pilot ejected from the aircraft and was captured alive upon landing, stirring additional tensions.

Pakistan’s Counteractions

Following the Taliban’s operational activities, Pakistan responded with airstrikes targeting the Afghan capital Kabul and the southern city of Kandahar, where Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada resides. Official statements from the Pakistani government claimed that these aerial operations resulted in the deaths of 133 Taliban fighters, with over 200 individuals sustaining injuries.

Additionally, several militant posts were reportedly destroyed or confiscated during these operations. This military action was in retaliation for what Taliban authorities characterized as a border offensive initiated late Thursday, prompting a significant response from Pakistan’s military.

Casualties and Statements from Officials

In retaliation to Pakistan’s strikes, Taliban officials declared they executed cross-border operations that resulted in the deaths of at least 55 Pakistani soldiers. The claims of heavy casualties on both sides have escalated the already strained relations between the two countries.

In a marked shift in stance, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif commented that Pakistan is currently in a state of “open war” with Afghanistan, indicating one of the most serious escalations in conflict seen between these two nations in recent years. The back-and-forth military actions highlight the precarious security situation along the porous border shared by the two countries.

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