Pakistan Launches Airstrikes On Afghanistan Hours After Ceasefire Extension: Report

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire starting 6 pm on Wednesday. (AFP File)

Pakistan carried out fresh airstrikes in several districts of Afghanistan’s Paktika province hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their 48-hour ceasefire, TOLO News reported.

As per the report, Pakistani military forces targeted residential areas in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, which lies along the Durand Line.

However, no casualties have been confirmed so far.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Taliban warned Islamabad that Kabul will retaliate. “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika. Afghanistan will retaliate,” a senior Taliban official told AFP.

This escalation comes despite an extended temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was meant to remain in place until the conclusion of the Doha negotiations—an effort aimed at easing border tensions, the news outlet said, citing sources.

Earlier this week, Pakistan carried out an airstrike on the Afghan border province of Kandahar and hit the town of Spin Boldak, officials in both countries said.

Pakistani security officials said the airstrike had targeted a brigade of Afghan Taliban troops and that dozens were killed, without corroborating the claim.

Enayatullah Khowarazmi, Afghanistan’s defence ministry spokesperson, said residential areas of Spin Boldak were hit.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Clashes

The deadly clashes between the countries have spiked tensions and left hundreds of people stranded. The fighting between the two countries began on the night of October 11, when Afghan forces struck multiple Pakistani military posts.

According to Associated PressAfghan officials claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in response to what they said were repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace.

AP quoted Pakistan’s military as saying that it lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 “Taliban and affiliated terrorists” during retaliatory fire along the border.

Tensions have been high since last week when Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and in a market in eastern Afghanistan.

Pakistan had previously launched strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting what it said were militant hideouts.

Pakistan has long accused Kabul of sheltering members of the banned Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which Islamabad blames for deadly attacks inside the country.

Kabul denies the allegation, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other nations.