In a stunning escalation of cross-border tensions, a Taliban spokesperson has claimed that Afghan air forces launched precision strikes on key Pakistani military installations, including sites deep inside Islamabad. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban, announced on Friday that these attacks targeted a military camp near Faizabad in Islamabad, an army cantonment in Naushera, a military colony in Jamrud, and facilities in Abbottabad.
The strikes, carried out around 11:00 AM on Friday, were described as highly accurate, hitting vital Pakistani army centers. Fitrat linked them directly to Pakistani airstrikes on Thursday night in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces, which allegedly killed Afghan civilians including women and children.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defense reported retaliatory ground operations along the Durand Line border. Afghan forces claimed to have destroyed two Pakistani military bases and 19 border posts, killing 55 Pakistani soldiers, capturing several alive, and seizing weapons, ammunition, and a military transport vehicle. They also reported destroying an enemy tank.
Afghan casualties included eight soldiers killed and 11 wounded in the four-hour clash. In Nangarhar province, a Pakistani missile strike on a refugee camp injured 13 Afghans, including women and children, further fueling the cycle of retaliation.
On the Pakistani side, major cities like Karachi have been placed on high alert. Police chiefs ordered heightened security around sensitive sites, airports, railway stations, and government buildings. Sindh’s Home Minister confirmed province-wide vigilance amid rising threats.
This exchange marks a dangerous intensification of hostilities between the neighboring nations, with both sides accusing the other of unprovoked aggression. International observers are watching closely as the conflict risks broader regional instability.