Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have sharply escalated after Afghan authorities claimed that their air force carried out a retaliatory strike inside Pakistan. According to Afghanistan’s defence ministry, the Afghan Air Force targeted military installations in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province following Pakistani airstrikes conducted a day earlier in Afghan cities. The incident marks one of the most serious military confrontations between the two neighbouring countries in recent years and has raised concerns about the possibility of further escalation along the already volatile border.
Afghan Airstrike Targets Pakistani Military Positions
According to the Afghan defence ministry, the retaliatory operation targeted Pakistani military facilities in the Kohat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Officials said a military fort was among the installations struck during the operation. Afghan authorities stated that the strike was a direct response to the air raids carried out by Pakistan the previous night.
While Afghan officials claimed that the operation successfully hit military targets, there were no immediate reports confirming casualties or significant damage from the Pakistani side. Pakistani authorities have not yet issued a detailed public statement regarding the alleged strike.
The escalation forced authorities in Pakistan to temporarily suspend operations at Islamabad International Airport. According to aviation sources, flight operations were halted for some time as a precautionary measure. Several flights scheduled to land or depart from Islamabad were diverted to other airports while security officials assessed the situation.
Airport authorities have indicated that operations may resume after security conditions are reviewed, although the exact timeline for full restoration of services has not yet been confirmed.
Pakistan’s Earlier Airstrikes in Afghanistan
The Afghan government’s claim of a retaliatory strike came shortly after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan late Thursday night. According to officials from the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan, Pakistani aircraft targeted locations in Kabul and Kandahar.
Afghan authorities reported that the strikes resulted in the deaths of at least six people and left fifteen others injured. Officials said the casualties included women and children, and several residential buildings were damaged in the attacks.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Pakistani aircraft also struck a fuel depot belonging to the private Afghan airline Kam Air. The facility reportedly supplies aviation fuel for civilian flights as well as aircraft used by the United Nations.
Mujahid condemned the airstrikes and described them as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He warned that Afghanistan would respond strongly to any military action carried out by Pakistan on Afghan territory.
Pakistan Claims Strikes Targeted TTP Militants
Pakistani officials have defended their military operations by stating that the airstrikes were aimed at militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad has long accused the militant group of launching attacks inside Pakistan while operating from bases located across the Afghan border.
According to Pakistani security officials, the strikes were part of a broader military campaign aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure in the region. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban government to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to conduct cross-border attacks.
However, the Taliban administration in Afghanistan has rejected these accusations. Afghan officials insist that their territory is not being used to plan or launch attacks against other countries and accuse Pakistan of carrying out unjustified military actions.
Escalation of Conflict Since February
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated significantly over the past several weeks. The latest escalation is linked to a series of military actions that began on February 22, when Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s border regions targeting suspected TTP militants.
Pakistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry claimed at the time that at least seventy militants were killed during the initial crackdown on militant positions. Subsequent reports suggested that the number of casualties may have been higher.
In response to those attacks, Afghan authorities warned that Pakistan would face consequences for violating Afghan sovereignty. Afghan officials later stated that the country would respond at a time and place of its choosing.
Pakistan subsequently launched a large-scale military campaign named Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. During the operation, Pakistani forces reportedly carried out attacks in multiple Afghan provinces including Kabul.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that the operation resulted in significant losses for Taliban fighters. According to his statement, more than four hundred Taliban fighters were killed and several hundred others were injured. He also claimed that numerous Taliban military positions and vehicles were destroyed during the operation.
However, Taliban officials strongly rejected these claims. Afghan authorities stated that the number of Taliban fighters killed was significantly lower than Pakistan’s estimate and accused Pakistani forces of exaggerating the impact of their operations.
Taliban representatives also claimed that Afghan forces inflicted losses on Pakistani troops during border clashes and captured several military posts.
Civilian Casualties and Humanitarian Impact
International organizations monitoring the situation have expressed concern about the growing humanitarian impact of the conflict. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Pakistani military operations conducted between late February and early March resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.
The United Nations reported that at least fifty-six civilians were killed during the operations, including twenty-four children. Many residential areas were damaged in the attacks, forcing families to flee their homes.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has reported that approximately one hundred fifteen thousand people have been displaced due to the fighting along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Many families have moved to safer regions to escape the ongoing violence.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued military confrontations could worsen the situation for civilians living near the border.
Longstanding Disputes Between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have existed for decades, largely due to disputes over the Durand Line, the border separating the two countries. Afghanistan has historically questioned the legitimacy of the border, while Pakistan considers it an internationally recognized boundary.
Another major source of tension has been accusations of militant groups operating across the border. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of allowing the TTP to operate from Afghan territory. The Taliban leadership has consistently denied these allegations and maintains that it does not permit attacks against other countries from Afghan soil.
Relations between the two countries have become even more strained since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Rising Security Concerns in the Region
Security analysts warn that the recent exchange of airstrikes could further destabilize the region if diplomatic efforts are not undertaken to reduce tensions. The border areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan have long been hotspots for militant activity and armed confrontations.
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Pakistan ranks among the countries most affected by terrorism globally. The report states that Pakistan is currently the second most terror-affected country in the world after Burkina Faso.
Experts believe that continued military escalation between the two countries could complicate efforts to counter extremist groups operating in the region.
Diplomatic observers say that both governments may face increasing international pressure to resolve their disputes through dialogue rather than military action.
