Pakistan launched fresh strikes on Kabul and several other provinces, the Afghan government said on Friday.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a post on X that the attacks targeted Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Paktika and some other areas.
Pakistan has killed at least 641 Afghan Taliban operatives and injured more than 855 since the conflict between the two sides escalated last month, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday.
Islamabad says the airstrikes — which have at times directly targeted the Afghan Taliban government — are aimed at ending Kabul’s alleged support for militants carrying out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban has denied aiding militant groups.
Fresh clashes between the two neighbours erupted on February 26 after Afghan border forces launched attacks on Pakistani military installations. Kabul said the assault was retaliation for Islamabad’s airstrikes earlier in February. Since then, both sides have been engaged in their worst fighting in decades.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent months, which it blames on groups it says operate from Afghan territory. Kabul denies the accusations and insists its soil is not used for attacks against other countries.
While Afghanistan has expressed willingness to hold talks, Pakistan has repeatedly ruled out negotiations, saying it will continue targeting militant hideouts under “Operation Ghazab lil Haq” until Kabul stops supporting militants.
Comments are closed.