On Thursday, the Pakistani government announced the implementation of a series of air strikes targeting 10 sites inside Afghan territory, which were used – according to Islamabad – to store drones and launch them towards Pakistani territory.
The Pakistani Minister of Information, Atallah Tarar, explained in a statement published on the “X” platform that these operations were “proportionate and strictly targeted,” and targeted military sites that the Pakistani authorities linked to a series of attempts to launch cross-border attacks. Tarar pointed out that Pakistani air defense systems had detected, on Wednesday, drones launched from Afghanistan, and succeeded in neutralizing and destroying them before they reached their targets.
In the field context, Agence France-Presse quoted eyewitnesses in the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan – where the Taliban leadership resides – hearing the sound of a jet plane, followed by a strong explosion and the outbreak of fire in the center of the city as a result of an air strike.
These developments come in the wake of previous air strikes carried out by Pakistan inside Afghan territory on September 21, which Islamabad justified by targeting armed elements against the backdrop of attacks within its borders. On the other hand, the Afghan authorities condemned these raids, declaring civilian casualties, and Kabul considers the attacks a blatant violation of its sovereignty.
It is noteworthy that the two countries are constantly exchanging accusations regarding the harboring and activity of armed groups on both sides of the border, which fuels the ongoing state of security tension between the two sides.
