Uzbekistan, Tashkent – AN Podrobno.uz. Pakistani military aircraft struck the Afghan capital Kabul, as well as Kandahar and Paktia provinces. Islamabad described the attack as a response to recent cross-border shelling of Pakistani positions.
According to Al Jazeera, the first strike on Kabul occurred at 1:50 local time, followed by a second wave of airstrikes. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that Islamabad's patience with Afghan authorities has run out, and the country is moving to "open war."
"For 50 years, [Pakistan] has hosted five million Afghans. Even today, millions of Afghans earn their livelihood on our soil. Our patience is exhausted. Now open war has erupted between us and you," said Asif.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that 133 Taliban militants were eliminated in the strikes, with several of their positions captured and destroyed. He also reported attacks on Taliban targets in Kandahar and Paktia.
In response, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced counterstrikes on Pakistani bases in Kandahar and Helmand, while an Afghan military source reported the deaths of 10 Pakistani soldiers and the capture of 13 outposts. There are also reports of one Pakistani aircraft being shot down, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which share a 2,611-kilometer border, deteriorated sharply after clashes in October, which resulted in over 70 casualties on both sides.
The escalation comes amid worsening ties between the neighbors: Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants from armed groups, including Pakistani Taliban, who use Afghan territory for attacks. The Pakistani Taliban have deep ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban but are a separate movement. Islamabad believes they have become "puppets of India," with tensions escalating into a brief conflict last year.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif affirmed the army's readiness to defend the country's sovereignty. India called the current escalation "another attempt by Pakistan to blame others for its internal failures." The UN has urged urgent de-escalation.
Source: podrobno.uz