Pakistan has carried out a series of airstrikes on Taliban military installations in Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, as tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border escalated sharply.
The Friday, February 27, operation, dubbed Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, targeted multiple sites across Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.
According to Pakistan state-run media, the Pakistani Air Force struck and destroyed key Taliban military infrastructure, including two brigade headquarters in Kabul, a corps headquarters, a brigade headquarters, an ammunition depot, and a logistics base in Kandahar, as well as a corps headquarters in Paktia.
Pakistan released video footage purportedly showing the strikes, which it described as a response to “unprovoked aggression” by Taliban forces.
The attacks follow several days of cross-border hostilities, beginning when Afghan forces opened fire on Pakistani posts in the mountainous northwest. Pakistani officials, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on media commentary, said clashes lasted for more than two hours before Pakistan retaliated.
Afghan and Pakistani authorities have presented conflicting accounts of casualties. Both sides claim dozens of deaths, though independent verification is not yet available.
Explosions in Afghanistan as Pakistan launches massive airstrikes
According to residents of Kabul, widespread disruption with loud explosions resonating across the city began around 1:50 a.m. local time, followed by several hours of gunfire.
Also Read: Pakistan Court Closes Case on Journalist Killed in Kenya
AFP correspondents described the intensity of the strikes as unprecedented for the Afghan capital in recent years, with blasts being heard from multiple districts.
Hours before the airstrikes, Taliban forces reportedly initiated offensive operations targeting Pakistani military bases along the border.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X that the offensive was launched “in response to repeated violations by the Pakistani military.”
He added that Afghan forces in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar had carried out “heavy attacks on Pakistani outposts.” However, officials in Kabul said no casualties had been reported on the Afghan side.
Later, President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement maintained that Islamabad will not compromise on peace and territorial integrity.
“Pakistan will not compromise on peace & territorial integrity. Our armed forces’ response is comprehensive & decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response — and no one will be beyond reach.”
On his part, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif in a fresh statement on Friday characterized the strikes as a response to long-standing grievances against the Taliban.
Asif accused the Taliban of transforming Afghanistan into “a colony of India,” gathering foreign terrorists on Afghan soil, depriving citizens of human rights, and undermining women’s freedoms.
Also Read: Pentagon Readies Kamikaze Drone Force if Trump Orders Iran Strikes
He warned that Pakistan’s patience had “overflowed”. He described the current situation as “open war,” emphasizing that Pakistan’s army, as Afghanistan’s neighbor, possesses deep knowledge of the region and its terrain.
“The Taliban turned Afghanistan into a colony of India. They gathered all the terrorists of the world in Afghanistan and began exporting terrorism. They deprived their own people of basic human rights. They snatched away the rights that Islam grants to women,” Asif said.
Diplomatic efforts fail
The minister further highlighted Pakistan’s prior diplomatic efforts and support for millions of Afghan refugees, framing the current military actions as a decisive response to continued Taliban provocations.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Taliban forces had carried out what it described as unprovoked actions along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, prompting an immediate military response by Pakistani forces.
In a statement, the ministry said Afghan Taliban forces had “miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations across the Pakistan–Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” adding that the attacks were being met with an “immediate and effective response” by Pakistan’s security forces.
“Taliban regime forces are being delivered punishment in Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors. Early reports confirm heavy casualties on Afghan side with multiple posts and equipment destroyed.”
Pakistan said it would take all necessary measures to safeguard its territorial integrity and ensure the safety and security of its citizens.
The ongoing hostilities come amid already fragile regional security dynamics. Pakistan and Afghanistan have a history of cross-border tensions, with prior clashes often linked to militant activity along the border and disputes over the Durand Line.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
