Pakistan says it launched overnight air strikes in Kandahar, destroying technical infrastructure and a storage facility it alleges were used by the Afghan Taliban and allied militants. Local witnesses reported jets and explosions while the Taliban government said damage was limited. The strikes followed drone attacks inside Pakistan and mark a sharp escalation that has resulted in dozens of deaths and the displacement of around 115,000 people. Diplomatic tensions have deepened after India criticized Pakistan’s actions and Pakistan accused India of backing militants operating from Afghanistan.
Pakistan Carries Out Overnight Air Strikes Inside Afghanistan, Targeting Kandahar Facilities
Smoke rises on the Afghan side of the Torkham border crossing near Pakistan on February 28 [Maaz Awan/AP Photo]
Pakistan says its forces conducted overnight air strikes inside Afghanistan that "successfully" hit military installations and what Islamabad described as "terrorist hideouts" in Kandahar province, as bilateral tensions escalate.
State-run Pakistan Television said on Sunday that the strikes destroyed technical-support infrastructure and an equipment storage facility in southern Kandahar that Pakistan alleges were being used "by Afghan Taliban and terrorists against innocent Pakistani civilians." Pakistani forces also targeted a tunnel they said housed technical equipment for the Afghan Taliban and for the group Islamabad calls "Fitna al-Khawarij" (a label used by Pakistan for the Pakistani Taliban).
Local Accounts and Taliban Response
Residents in Kandahar told AFP they saw jet aircraft overhead and heard explosions during the night. "Military planes flew over the mountain where there is a military facility, and an explosion followed," one resident said, adding that flames were visible. An air strike was also reported in Spin Boldak, southeast of Kandahar, while officials in the eastern province of Khost reported clashes on Saturday night.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the strikes caused limited damage, citing a drug rehabilitation centre and an empty container in Kandahar, and said the sites Pakistan mentioned were located some distance away.
Background and Casualties
Pakistan said the strikes followed drone attacks inside its territory on Friday night that President Asif Ali Zardari blamed on bases in Afghanistan, warning that Kabul had "crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians." Pakistan reported that the drones — described as locally produced and rudimentary — were intercepted, though falling debris reportedly injured civilians, including two children in Quetta.
The exchange is the sharpest escalation since late February, when Pakistan launched operations against militants it said were sheltering in Afghanistan. Islamabad also accuses Kabul of harbouring fighters from ISIL-Khorasan; the Taliban government denies these claims.
Reported casualties from the clashes include around 99 people on both sides: Pakistani authorities cited 13 soldiers and one civilian killed in Pakistan; Afghan authorities reported 13 soldiers and 72 civilians killed in Afghanistan. United Nations data recorded 185 civilian casualties in Afghanistan between February 26 and March 5, including 56 deaths from indirect fire and aerial attacks, and the UN refugee agency estimates roughly 115,000 people have been displaced.
Wider Regional and Diplomatic Fallout
The crisis unfolds against broader regional tensions. Pakistan rejected a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs that criticized Islamabad’s "legitimate, targeted and precise actions" inside Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi accused India of supporting militant groups operating from Afghan soil and said India’s criticism reflected frustration at the disruption of those networks. India reiterated that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected.
Outlook: Pakistan’s military said operations would continue until the Taliban government addresses Islamabad’s stated core security concerns, raising the risk of further cross-border strikes and diplomatic strain in an already volatile region.
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