Blasts reported in Kabul amid ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Afghanistan Reports Incident at Bagram Air Base, Pakistan Denies Involvement

A strike on Bagram air base in Afghanistan was reportedly thwarted by the country’s military forces, according to officials from the Taliban government. The incident occurred early Sunday morning when Pakistani aircraft entered Afghan airspace, prompting a response from the Afghan military.

The Taliban claimed that they deployed anti-aircraft and missile defense systems against the Pakistani jets, but Pakistan has not commented on the claim. Islamabad has stated that the conflict between the two countries is “open war,” with its forces still holding a 32-square-kilometer area of Afghan territory in the southern Zhob sector.

According to reports from Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, Pakistani strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 55 civilians across multiple provinces since fighting intensified on Thursday. The victims include a woman and a child who were killed in a drone strike on Nangarhar province, as well as a civilian whose home was hit by mortar fire in Paktia.

The conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has its roots in a long-standing dispute over the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), an armed group that both countries accuse each other of harboring. The TTP has intensified its campaign inside Pakistan, leading to a surge in violence and deaths.

International calls for de-escalation are growing, with several countries urging restraint from both sides. Diplomats Without Borders warned on February 27 that further confrontation could lead to broader regional instability. However, the rapidly escalating US-Israel conflict with Iran has consumed much of the world’s diplomatic bandwidth, leaving concerns that this war may be left without urgent international attention.

The situation remains fluid, with both countries continuing to exchange fire and neither side showing signs of backing down.

Source: Al Jazeera