Kabul rocked by explosions as Pakistan launches airstrikes in retaliation to Taliban border offensive

Loud explosions shattered the early morning calm in Afghanistan's capital on Friday, as residents reported multiple blasts accompanied by the roar of fighter jets overhead.

The incidents occurred just hours after the Taliban government in Kabul announced it had initiated large-scale offensive operations against Pakistani military positions along the disputed Durand Line border.

According to eyewitness accounts and reports from AFP journalists on the ground, up to eight powerful explosions reverberated across Kabul starting around 1:50 a.m. local time (approximately 9:20 p.m. GMT Thursday).

Residents described the blasts shaking homes, followed by sustained bursts of gunfire in central areas of the city that continued for nearly an hour.

The sounds of low-flying aircraft were clearly audible before and during the detonations, leading many to conclude that airstrikes had targeted the city.

Taliban's government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistan had carried out airstrikes not only in Kabul but also in the southern province of Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktia.

Mujahid condemned the attacks as unprovoked violations of Afghan sovereignty.

The strikes came in direct response to Afghan forces' cross-border assault launched late Thursday.

Taliban officials described the operation as a "retaliatory" measure against recent Pakistani airstrikes earlier in the week, which they claimed killed at least 18 people, including civilians, in eastern Afghan border regions.

Those prior Pakistani operations targeted alleged hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring—a charge Kabul vehemently denies.

In statements on X, Mujahid declared that Afghan forces had launched "large-scale offensive operations" against Pakistani military bases and installations along the border in response to "repeated rebellions and insurrections" by Pakistani forces.

Taliban military sources claimed significant successes, including the capture of more than 15 Pakistani outposts within hours, the killing of dozens of Pakistani soldiers, and the capture of others.

Deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat reported up to 55 Pakistani soldiers killed, with some bodies allegedly recovered by Afghan forces.

Pakistan's government and military strongly rejected these claims, describing the Afghan actions as "unprovoked aggression."

Pakistan's Information Ministry stated that Taliban forces had opened fire on multiple locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, prompting an "immediate and effective response" from Pakistani troops.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that Pakistan had launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq (Wrath of Justice), during which airstrikes targeted Taliban positions.

Pakistani officials claimed heavy casualties on the Afghan side, including 72 to 133 Taliban personnel killed, over 120 injured, and multiple posts and equipment destroyed. They reported two Pakistani soldiers killed and three wounded in the initial border clashes.

The escalation marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighbors, building on months of tension fueled by cross-border militant activity.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing its territory to serve as a safe haven for groups like the TTP, responsible for a surge in attacks inside Pakistan, including recent suicide bombings.

Pakistan launches cross-border strikes into Afghanistan after series of suicide bombings

Pakistan’s Information Ministry says the military carried out strikes along the border with neighboring Afghanistan.

The Afghan side counters that Pakistan supports anti-Taliban elements and conducts violations of its airspace and territory.

No independent verification of casualty figures or territorial claims from either side was immediately available, and reports of civilian impact in Kabul remained unclear as of early Friday.

Residents in the capital expressed fear and confusion amid the unfamiliar sounds of aerial bombardment in the city.

The flare-up threatens to undermine fragile diplomatic efforts, including a Qatar-mediated ceasefire that had largely held since late 2025 despite sporadic violations.

International observers, including the United Nations, have previously expressed concern over civilian casualties in such exchanges, urging restraint to prevent further humanitarian fallout in an already fragile region.

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