Kabul/Islamabad: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified on September 24 after Pakistan said it carried out precision aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes targeted locations that Islamabad described as being used for launching and storing drones following an alleged drone incursion from Afghan territory. Pakistan said the operation was carried out in what it described as an exercise of its right to self-defence and that the targets were limited to identified military objectives.
Afghan Taliban authorities condemned the strikes. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes had caused casualties and warned that Afghanistan would provide an “appropriate response.” Afghan officials also rejected Pakistan’s allegations regarding responsibility for the drone activity.
The latest escalation follows several days of increased tensions and earlier cross-border strikes. Pakistan has accused militant groups operating from Afghan territory of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan, while Taliban authorities have denied allowing Afghan territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Türkiye have continued. Senior Turkish and Qatari officials recently held meetings in Kabul with senior Taliban figures, including intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, with Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions among the issues reportedly discussed.
The latest developments have increased pressure for diplomatic engagement as regional actors seek to prevent further escalation between Islamabad and Kabul.
