Pakistan conducted an airstrike in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. Photo: Unsplash
Pakistan conducted an airstrike in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, late Thursday, targeting suspected Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps, media reports said.
The strike coincided with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s first official visit to India.
According to reports, Pakistani fighter jets carried out the strike around 10 p.m. local time near Shahid Abdul Haq Square in Kabul. The operation reportedly aimed to eliminate TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, who has led the group since 2018.
Unverified audio messages circulating on social media claimed Mehsud survived the strike, contradicting initial reports of his death. Eyewitnesses said they heard the sound of aircraft, followed by two loud explosions and bursts of gunfire.
Islamabad has long accused the Taliban-led Afghan government of harbouring and supporting TTP militants, who have claimed responsibility for numerous deadly attacks inside Pakistan in recent months.
The airstrike comes amid sharply deteriorating Pakistan–Afghanistan relations, following Islamabad’s crackdown on Afghan refugees and repeated border clashes.
The timing of the attack is seen as particularly significant, coinciding with Muttaqi’s nine-day visit to India, which began on October 9, and his bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a stern warning to the Taliban, demanding that they act against TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
On October 7, TTP militants ambushed a paramilitary convoy in Pakistan’s north-western region, killing 11 Pakistani soldiers, including two officers, while 19 militants were reported dead in the ensuing clash.
The Kabul strike underscores escalating tensions in the region, as Pakistan intensifies operations against the TTP amid the Taliban’s growing international engagement — including with India.