ISLAMABAD/KABUL: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply escalated after Pakistan said it carried out air and drone strikes against 10 locations inside Afghanistan, accusing the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing sites to be used to launch and store drones allegedly involved in attacks on Pakistani territory, as reported by The Ministry of Informationa of Pakistan and The Express Tribune.
Pakistan said the strikes came after its air defence systems intercepted eight drones that had entered Pakistani airspace from Afghanistan. Pakistani officials described the operation as an act of self defence and said the targets were military sites linked to the alleged drone attacks. The claims could not be independently verified.
The Afghan Taliban authorities have consistently rejected Pakistan’s allegations. They have denied that Afghan forces launched drone attacks against Pakistan and have also rejected accusations that Afghanistan is being used as a base for attacks on its neighbour.
Kabul has repeatedly maintained that groups and individuals accused by Pakistan of carrying out attacks are based and living on Pakistani territory and that Afghanistan cannot be expected to take military action against people who are not under its control. Afghan officials have also rejected claims that recent security incidents inside Pakistan originated from Afghan soil.
The dispute has now developed into a wider argument over the consequences of Pakistan’s air operations inside Afghanistan. Kabul has condemned the strikes as violations of Afghan sovereignty and has continued to make the damage and civilian impact of Pakistani airstrikes available for examination by the United Nations and international media. The United Nations mission has confirmed civilian casualties from earlier strikes, including three deaths and four injuries in Kunar province.
Pakistan, however, says its military operations are directed at militant infrastructure responsible for attacks inside the country. Earlier this week, Pakistani authorities said airstrikes killed 28 militants. Afghan authorities disputed the account and reported civilian casualties.
The confrontation comes after a series of deadly attacks in Pakistan and growing accusations that armed groups are operating across the border. Islamabad has demanded that Kabul take what it calls credible and verifiable action against militant networks. Kabul, in turn, has rejected the accusations and called for the dispute to be addressed through dialogue rather than military action.
The latest escalation also threatens a broader diplomatic effort to prevent the two neighbours from sliding into another prolonged conflict. Qatar and Türkiye have previously hosted and mediated talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including efforts to maintain ceasefires and establish mechanisms for monitoring violations. China has also played a diplomatic role in attempts to reduce fighting and encourage communication between the two sides.
With Pakistan demanding action against what it describes as cross border militant threats, and the Afghan Taliban authorities denying responsibility while pointing to civilian damage from Pakistani strikes, the two sides remain deeply divided.
For regional mediators, the immediate challenge is to prevent accusations, drone incidents and retaliatory airstrikes from becoming a cycle of confrontation that neither side can easily control.
