Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban on Wednesday said that its forces carried out airstrikes targeting ISIS militants in neighbouring Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Kabul-based TOLO News, citing sources, reported that the drone strikes were carried out on ISIS positions and facilities used to coordinate airstrikes against civilians in Afghanistan along the border.
Afghanistan hits ISIS targets in Pakistan
A school in the Saranan area, which was allegedly being used by and groups described as “agents of chaos and violence,” was targeted in the drone strikes, the report said.
The regional IS branch, Islamic State-Khorasan, has claimed responsibility for attacks in Afghanistan in recent years that have killed civilians.
What Pakistan said
Pakistan also confirmed the strikes, but claimed that it shot down ‘four rudimentary drones’ launched from across the border into Balochistan.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the hostile aerial platforms were immediately detected by Pakistan’s robust air defence network.
“Demonstrating a high level of operational readiness, the security forces successfully neutralised all four incoming drones using sophisticated countermeasures. As a result of the swift and effective response, the hostile attempts were successfully foiled,” ISPR said.
Pakistan, which nurtured and sheltered the following their ouster in 2001 until the insurgent group regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, accused the hardline Islamists of misleading Afghan people who are “suffering under its oppressive rule”
“Such actions by the Afghan Taliban regime appear to be aimed at misleading the Afghan population, which continues to suffer under its oppressive rule. The Taliban should realise that such irresponsible behaviour only adds to the hardships faced by the Afghans, the ISPR statement added.
Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan
The airstrike by Afghanistan came days after strikes by Pakistan on its border with Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s security forces said they had killed at least 29 militants in ground and air operations along the Afghanistan border, while the said at least 38 civilians had been killed in airstrikes.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants it blames for plotting attacks in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban denies the accusations, saying militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem.
In response to the airstrikes, the Afghan government on Monday issued a “strong and resolute protest” to the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires in Kabul.
According to a statement issued by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X, the Afghan side summoned the Pakistani diplomat and conveyed its protest over what it described as a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and the bombing of civilian homes in Kunar, Paktia and Paktika provinces.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and presented him with its strong and resolute protest regarding the violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and the bombing of civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Paktia, and Paktika,” the statement read.
