Pakistan has claimed that it destroyed the headquarters of the Afghan army in Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces in targeted air strikes, as tensions with Afghanistan sharply escalated along the border.
The development was reported by Dawn, which cited security sources. Afghanistan has not officially confirmed the destruction of the army headquarters so far.
‘Operation Ghazab lil Haq’
According to reports, the strikes are part of what Pakistan described as “Operation Ghazab lil Haq,” launched early Friday. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani forces hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night. He added that the attacks extended to Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday. In Kabul, thick black smoke was seen rising from at least two locations, with large fires visible in videos verified by Reuters. Mujahid confirmed there were civilian casualties but did not give more details.
Security sources in Pakistan told Reuters that the operation involved air-to-ground missile strikes on Taliban military offices and posts. The strikes marked the first time Pakistan directly targeted Afghanistan’s ruling establishment in Kabul over long-standing allegations that it shelters militants trying to overthrow the government in Islamabad. Afghanistan has repeatedly denied these allegations.
Jet Crash Claim Denied
Amid the escalation, a Pakistani fighter jet reportedly crashed in Jalalabad on Saturday. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), loud explosions were heard near the city’s airport, preceded by the sound of a jet flying overhead. Afghan authorities claimed they shot down the aircraft and captured the pilot. Islamabad rejected the claim, calling it “totally untrue.”
In response to Pakistan’s strikes, Taliban-led forces carried out drone attacks under “Operation Rad al-Zulm,” targeting Pakistani military camps in Miranshah and Spinwam, according to security sources cited by TOLOnews. Pakistan also continued overnight ground and air operations, with sources telling Dawn that the Pakistan Air Force targeted Taliban positions in Nangarhar while troops captured and destroyed multiple border posts.
Retaliation and Casualty Claims
Reports say that Pakistani officials claimed 274 Taliban officials and fighters were killed in the latest strikes. Afghanistan said it had killed 55 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan confirmed that 12 of its soldiers were killed, while Afghanistan said it had lost 13 Taliban fighters. These claims could not be independently verified.
The fresh violence follows days of tit-for-tat attacks along the 2,600-km frontier, with both sides blaming each other for triggering the current round of conflict.
