Residents of Kabul’s District 6 were awakened by a loud explosion on Thursday night. They rushed outside and saw spurs flying above.
Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan, hitting Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar. Kandahar is a Taliban stronghold and historic base.
The conflict between the two sides has been ongoing for months. Who started the aggression depends on who you ask.
Earlier Thursday, Afghanistan’s Taliban government launched a major ground operation against Pakistani military posts near the border. They claimed to capture several posts and kill Pakistani soldiers.
The Taliban said the strikes were retaliatory operations. They were responding to Pakistani military actions that entered Afghan territory, violated sovereignty, and killed civilians, including women and children.
These attacks followed Pakistani airstrikes on February 21 in Nangarhar and Paktika. The United Nations reported 13 Afghan civilians killed in those strikes.
Pakistan Blames TTP for Attacks as Tensions Rise with Taliban
Islamabad says its airstrikes target militant lairs in Afghanistan, not civilians. Pakistan focuses on Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) bases, which it calls Fitna al Khawarij.
Pakistan claims it has conclusive evidence that the TTP carried out recent attacks, including the suicide bombing at a Shia synagogue in Islamabad that killed over 30 people. Although IS claimed responsibility, Pakistan insists the TTP was behind it.
Pakistan alleges the attacks are planned by TTP leaders in Afghanistan and supported by Taliban instructors.
The Taliban government denies using its territory to threaten other countries. It calls Pakistan’s strikes unprovoked.
The last major flare-up occurred in October 2025, with days of cross-border strikes. Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan, and Qatar and Turkey mediated talks in Doha and Istanbul. A fragile ceasefire followed, but it failed to stop the conflict.
Both countries criticized each other for not negotiating seriously.
Militarily, Pakistan holds the advantage. It has hundreds of tanks and aircraft and advanced defense technology.