Pakistan strikes Kabul targeting TTP chief amid Afghan FM’s India visit, signalling frustration over India-Afghanistan ties. Photos: X.
Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Afghanistan’s Kabul on a day when Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is visiting India. Islamabad has been accusing Afghanistan of harbouring Tehreek-i-Taliban terrorists and sending them to Pakistan. The airstrike is seen as one of the most provocative cross-border operations by Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the US left the war-torn country. Observers, however, question the timing of the targeted airstrike, saying that Islamabad is rattled as India-Afghanistan ties take a positive turn.
According to the reports, Pakistan’s airstrike targeted TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, who was believed to be inside his safehouse. Pakistani media claimed that Mehsud was killed in the strike; however, the TTP Chief later released an audio saying he was not attacked.
A day before the strikes, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned Afghanistan of harbouring TTP terrorists.
“Enough is enough,” Asif said. “Despite years of negotiations with the Afghan government, the bloodshed in Pakistan has not stopped. Daily funerals of military personnel are being held. We are paying the price of 60 years of hospitality to 6 million Afghan refugees with our blood,” Asif tweeted.
As India announced to reopen its embassy in Afghanistan, analysts say Pakistan, with this airstrike, is sending a message to Afghanistan amid Muttaqi’s diplomatic engagement with India. Observers say Pakistan is frustrated as India-Afghanistan deepen relations.
The incident highlights Islamabad’s growing frustration as India deepens ties with the Taliban, and represents one of the most provocative cross-border operations by Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been a security headache for Pakistan. Hundreds of Pakistani security forces have been killed each year in TTP attacks, with a recent attack on October 8 killing 11 soldiers.
Former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, while reacting to the airstrike, called it a “huge escalation” that posed dangerous risks. he called for negotiations between the two countries to resolve the issues.
“In recent days, Taliban operatives have been active in Pakistan, attacking ISIS and killing a number of its leaders. The Pakistanis have been recklessly backing ISIS operatives against Afghanistan and their own Baloch nationalist insurgency. The Afghans, in turn, have been permissive towards the TTP,” Khalilzad tweeted.
Also Read: Why Pakistan Has Suspended Internet And Sealed Roads In Islamabad, Rawalpindi: All You Need To Know
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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