Taliban forces launched a “large-scale offensive operation” against Pakistan on Thursday night, according to reports from Afghanistan, sharply escalating tensions following days of cross-border clashes. The attacks represent a retaliatory response to Pakistani airstrikes conducted earlier this week targeting alleged militant hideouts within Afghanistan.
The Afghan defense ministry stated that the strikes targeted areas in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika, and accused Pakistan of violating international law and principles of good neighborliness. “We hold the Pakistani military responsible for targeting civilians and religious sites. We will respond to these attacks in due course with a measured and appropriate response,” the ministry said, as reported by Reuters.
Pakistan’s military initiated the strikes on Sunday, claiming they were aimed at “camps and hideouts” linked to armed groups responsible for recent attacks within Pakistan, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad. The Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated the operations targeted seven sites associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), likewise known as the Pakistan Taliban, and affiliates of the Islamic State’s Khorasan province (ISIS-K).
Reports from the BBC indicate that the Pakistani strikes resulted in at least 18 civilian deaths, including women and children, in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. In Girdi Kas village, Nangarhar province, one resident, Shahabuddin, told reporters that 18 members of his family were killed in the attacks, with only five surviving. The Taliban’s defense ministry also reported dozens of deaths and injuries.
Pakistan maintains it possesses “conclusive evidence” linking recent attacks within its borders to fighters operating from Afghanistan, alleging they are directed by “Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.” However, Afghanistan has condemned the Pakistani strikes, asserting they hit a religious school and residential homes.
The recent hostilities risk undermining a fragile ceasefire brokered in October of last year after deadly border clashes left dozens dead. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban authorities to curb the activities of armed groups operating from Afghan soil, but claims Kabul has failed to take “any substantive action,” according to the Independent.
The clashes come after Pakistan launched military operations against the TTP on its own soil with limited success, according to US News & World Report. The TTP and the Afghan Taliban fought alongside each other in Afghanistan and have historically hosted Afghan fighters within Pakistan.
As of Thursday night, there has been no official response from the Pakistani government to the Taliban’s reported offensive. The situation remains fluid, with both sides signaling a willingness to retaliate for perceived aggression.
