Afghanistan has warned Pakistan of serious consequences after Pakistani aircraft and drones struck locations in Afghan territory. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said four people were killed in the latest attacks.
In a statement posted on X, Mujahid said Pakistani forces carried out attacks and aerial bombardments in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces. He condemned the action as a violation of Afghanistan’s territorial sovereignty and said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would take a firm position in response to what he called repeated aggression.
“In this criminal aggression, four of our fellow Afghan compatriots have been martyred,” Mujahid said, describing the strikes as a blatant act of aggression and a crime.
He rejected Pakistan’s explanation that unmanned aerial vehicles had crossed into Pakistani territory from Afghanistan. Mujahid alleged that Pakistani military circles were using the drone claim to justify an air operation and deflect attention from their internal problems.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assures its people that in response to these aggressions and shameless rebellions by the Pakistani military regime, it will adopt a resolute stance and deliver an appropriate response, God willing,” he said.
Mujahid further cautioned that continued hostile actions could provoke public anger in Afghanistan and lead to “dire consequences” for Pakistani military personnel.
Pakistan said it had carried out precision aerial and drone strikes at 10 locations in Afghanistan earlier on Thursday. Islamabad said the operation followed the alleged launch of drones from Afghan territory a day earlier.
Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the targets were locations allegedly used to launch and store drones. He described the operation as an exercise of Pakistan’s sovereign right to self-defence.
Tarar said the strikes were deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate, and were limited to military objectives directly linked to the alleged attacks against Pakistan. He called the reported drone incursion on Wednesday deliberate and unlawful, describing it as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pakistan also said its air defence systems detected, tracked and neutralised the drones before they could reach their intended targets. Security sources said eight drones launched from Afghanistan entered Pakistani airspace near the Torkham border and Kohat on Wednesday before being shot down.
Earlier strikes intensified tensions
The latest exchange follows another round of Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan earlier this week. On Monday, Mujahid had promised an “appropriate response” after strikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces, accusing Pakistan’s military of hitting civilian areas.
He said three civilians were killed and four others injured in Kunar. In Paktika, a house and a local shop were damaged, although no casualties were reported there.
Pakistani fighter jets reportedly struck multiple areas of Afghanistan early on Monday. The Rakha and Torkandi areas of Barmal district in Paktika were targeted in separate attacks, while another strike in Kunar killed three people and injured several others.
The developments come as cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue, with both sides offering conflicting accounts of military operations and alleged attacks launched from the other country’s territory.
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