Afghanistan says it has attacked several targets inside Pakistan by air in the latest flare-up in the simmering conflict between the neighbouring countries.
The Afghan Ministry of Defence wrote on X on Friday that it had carried out "airstrikes" at various locations inside Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information also reported on X that an Afghan drone had been shot down. None of these claims can be independently verified.
Afghan drone strikes on Pakistan have been rare in the past. Whilst the Pakistani Air Force has also carried out strikes deep inside Afghanistan during the ongoing conflict, the Islamist Taliban, who rule in Kabul, have mostly confined themselves to skirmishes in the shared border region.
An Afghan attack in Pakistan would therefore represent an escalation.
Afghanistan launched a drone attack on the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, in March. That was followed a few days later by a heavy Pakistani airstrike that destroyed a clinic in Kabul. The United Nations later reported 269 deaths as a result of that attack.
With its latest drone strikes the Afghan Ministry of Defence claims to have targeted Islamic State terrorist camps in the region. This statement is very reminiscent of statements made by the Pakistani side following its attacks on Afghan territory.
The conflict between the neighbouring countries has now been ongoing for several months and repeatedly results in attacks and retaliations.
Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring terrorists who carry out attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies this claim.
