Afghanistan’s Taliban government says its forces carry out air strikes on militant hideouts inside Pakistan, targeting locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The Afghan Taliban’s defence ministry describes the action as strikes against Islamist militants’ hideouts, which adds to a recurring dispute between the two neighbours over cross-border militancy.
Islamabad rejects the claim and denies that Afghan airstrikes took place, according to reports. Pakistan says only a drone entered its airspace and was intercepted. The incident comes amid heightened sensitivity after recent deadly events and follows efforts at mediation, including by China, as tensions persist.
Overall, the accounts reflect a direct disagreement over what occurred across the border, with Afghanistan pointing to operations against militant positions and Pakistan disputing both the nature of the incident and the method of attack. The dispute is presented as part of a broader blame cycle in which both sides accuse the other of harboring or enabling militants.
