Afghan Taliban officials accused Pakistan of conducting an airstrike that struck a drug treatment facility in Kabul on Monday, resulting in an unknown number of casualties, while Pakistani authorities denied hitting civilian targets.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated on social media platform X that their forces had struck “military installations” and “terrorist support infrastructure” in both Kabul and Nangarhar provinces.
According to Pakistani officials, the targeted locations housed weapons stockpiles and equipment utilized by Afghan Taliban forces and “Fitna al-Khawarij” militants, which is Pakistan’s designation for extremist fighters.
Pakistan’s military has not yet provided an official response to requests for additional information.
Cross-border hostilities between the two countries began escalating last month when Pakistan launched aerial attacks into Afghanistan, claiming they were aimed at militant bases. Afghan authorities condemned these operations as violations of their territorial sovereignty and responded with retaliatory strikes.
The issue of militant activity has become a major source of tension between the neighboring countries, which were once allies but are now adversaries. Pakistani leadership maintains that Afghanistan serves as a safe haven for extremists who carry out attacks against Pakistan, while Taliban representatives reject these accusations and argue that addressing militancy is Pakistan’s domestic responsibility.
