Pakistan Conducts Air Strikes on Afghan Military Sites in Kandahar

Pakistan says its military has carried out new air strikes on military facilities in southern Afghanistan, escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries following weeks of cross-border clashes.

According to Pakistani officials, the overnight operation targeted installations and infrastructure in Kandahar province that were allegedly used by militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistan Targets Kandahar Facilities

State broadcaster Pakistan Television reported on Sunday that the military had struck what it described as “technical support infrastructure” and an equipment storage facility in Kandahar. Pakistani authorities say the sites were being used by Afghan Taliban elements and militant groups involved in attacks on Pakistani territory.

Security sources cited by international media also said that a tunnel in the area had been targeted. Pakistan claims the tunnel contained technical equipment used by the Afghan Taliban and fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for numerous attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad accuses the TTP of operating from Afghan territory and receiving protection from the Taliban government in Kabul. The Afghan administration denies these allegations.

Residents Report Explosions

Residents in Kandahar reported hearing aircraft and explosions during the night. One resident told news agency AFP that military aircraft flew over a mountainous area where a military installation is located before an explosion occurred.

“Military planes flew over the mountain where there is a military facility, and an explosion followed,” the resident said, adding that flames were visible after the blast.

People in Spin Boldak, a border town southeast of Kandahar, also reported hearing air strikes. Afghan officials in the eastern province of Khost said clashes had also occurred along the border on Saturday night.

Taliban Response

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes caused only limited damage and disputed Pakistan’s description of the targets.

He told AFP that a drug rehabilitation centre and an empty container had been damaged in Kandahar. Mujahid also said the locations cited by Pakistani authorities were “far away” from those facilities.

The Taliban government has repeatedly denied accusations that Afghan territory is being used to launch attacks into Pakistan.

Drone Attack Claims and “Red Line” Warning

The latest strikes follow allegations by Pakistan that drones launched from Afghanistan targeted several locations inside Pakistan on Friday night.

Pakistani officials said the drones were intercepted before reaching their targets. However, falling debris reportedly injured two children in the city of Quetta and caused injuries to civilians in Kohat and Rawalpindi.

Rawalpindi hosts Pakistan’s military headquarters and is located near the capital, Islamabad.

Following the incident, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned what he described as attempts to attack Pakistani civilians and warned that Afghanistan had “crossed a red line”.

Pakistan says the Kandahar facilities targeted in the latest strikes were linked to the alleged drone attacks as well as cross-border militant operations.

Escalating Border Conflict

The strikes mark the latest escalation in a conflict that has intensified since late February, when Pakistan began military operations against militants it says are sheltering in Afghanistan.

Islamabad also accuses the Taliban government of harbouring fighters from the regional branch of the Islamic State group known as ISIL-Khorasan. Afghan authorities deny these claims.

Clashes between the two sides have resulted in significant casualties. Reports indicate that around 99 people have been killed during the recent fighting, including soldiers and civilians on both sides of the border.

United Nations data indicates that at least 185 civilian casualties were recorded in Afghanistan between 26 February and 5 March. These included 56 deaths linked to indirect fire and aerial attacks.

The United Nations refugee agency has also reported that about 115,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to the violence along the border.

Regional and Diplomatic Reactions

The crisis has drawn attention from neighbouring countries and the wider international community.

India condemned Pakistan’s air strikes on Afghan territory on Saturday, stating that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected.

Pakistan rejected the criticism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said India’s comments reflected “frustration at the destruction of its terrorist franchise in Afghanistan”.

He also accused India of supporting militant groups operating from Afghan soil, an allegation New Delhi has repeatedly denied.

Wider Regional Tensions

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan is unfolding amid broader regional instability.

The Middle East has also seen rising tensions following the recent outbreak of conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Analysts say simultaneous crises across the region could further complicate diplomatic efforts and security cooperation.

For communities living along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, however, the immediate concern remains the continued fighting and its humanitarian consequences.

With both governments maintaining sharply different accounts of the recent incidents, and with military operations ongoing, there is little indication that the current escalation will ease in the near future.