Kabul erupted with bold declarations on Thursday night as Afghanistan announced a fierce counteroffensive against Pakistan following recent airstrikes. Officials from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan revealed that their forces have seized control of 15 enemy border outposts in a swift operation along the volatile frontier.
Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat took to social media to detail the escalating clash. He stated that numerous Pakistani soldiers were killed during the raid, with others captured alive. ‘The campaign against the enemy continues unabated,’ Fitrat emphasized, highlighting strategic gains in the border region.
Afghan units equipped with advanced laser-guided systems along the Durand Line have launched their own operations, exploiting the cover of darkness to target every enemy movement. This response comes amid heightened tensions that have gripped the region.
The trigger for this retaliation traces back to confirmed Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) verified that 13 civilians, including women and children, lost their lives in attacks on Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Strikes hit districts like Behsud and Khogyani in Nangarhar, while in Paktika’s Bermal, a school and mosque were targeted, and a house in Orgun faced bombardment.
Local reports from Khama Press, citing UNAMA, painted a grim picture: seven others wounded in the 21-22 February nighttime assaults. As Pakistan remains silent on Afghanistan’s claims, the specter of further escalation looms large, threatening stability in South Asia’s most fractious border zone. Observers warn that miscalculations could draw in regional powers, amplifying the humanitarian crisis already straining Afghan communities.