Pakistan and Taliban face escalating crisis over air strikes in Kabul

Pakistan Launches Air Strikes on Afghanistan’s Capital and Other Cities

Islamabad, Pakistan – On Friday, Pakistan launched air strikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia in Afghanistan. The attacks targeted Taliban military installations, according to Pakistani officials.

The strikes came hours after Afghan forces launched coordinated cross-border attacks on Pakistani military positions in six border provinces late on Thursday. According to reports, 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 outposts captured by the Afghan forces, while Pakistan acknowledged two soldiers had been killed.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared that the country’s patience was exhausted, stating “Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned there would be no leniency in defending Pakistan’s homeland.

The exchanges have shattered a ceasefire brokered by Turkiye and Qatar, which was reached after 10 days of deadly border fighting in October killed more than 70 people on both sides. Subsequent negotiations in Doha and Istanbul failed to produce a formal agreement.

Analysts say that the situation is becoming increasingly dangerous with no framework in place to contain it. The attacks are believed to be linked to a renewed wave of violence at home, including recent incidents such as a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad on February 6, which killed at least 36 people.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to armed groups, including the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The TTP has been waging a rebellion against the Pakistani state for over a decade, while the BLA seeks independence for the Balochistan province.

Source: Al Jazeera