Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of striking Kabul after evening explosions between 9:00 pm and 9:15 pm (16:30–16:45 GMT) that sent families fleeing and triggered anti-aircraft fire. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid alleged the strikes — which he said hit a drug treatment centre — were a violation of Afghan territory; Pakistan had not commented and independent verification was lacking. The UN reports at least 75 civilian deaths since February 26, roughly 115,000 people displaced, and the WFP is delivering aid to more than 20,000 families amid growing humanitarian concerns.
Afghan Authorities Accuse Pakistan Of Striking Kabul During Evening Explosions
Shelling happened overnight Sunday-Monday in the border province of Khost (-)(-/AFP/AFP)
Afghan authorities on Monday accused neighbouring Pakistan of carrying out strikes on Kabul after residents and AFP journalists reported loud explosions overhead and anti-aircraft defences opened fire.
Several blasts were heard between 9:00 pm and 9:15 pm local time (16:30–16:45 GMT), and plumes of smoke were visible over central districts including Shahr-e-Naw and Wazir Akbar Khan. The explosions — which came just days before the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — sparked panic as families who had just broken their fast rushed for cover.
In one scene captured by an AFP photographer, a panicked mother ran from a building, calling for her son to return as the blast shook the neighbourhood. Other residents sought shelter in basements while the sound of anti-aircraft guns continued until about 10:00 pm, after which ambulance sirens could be heard.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X that the Pakistani military had "once again violated Afghan territory," calling the strikes "a crime" and an "act of inhumanity." Mujahid also said the latest strikes hit a drug treatment centre and killed a number of civilians.
There was no immediate independent verification of the claim that a drug treatment centre was hit, and the Pakistani military had not commented when AFP contacted it.
Context of Escalating Clashes
Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated in October last year, leaving dozens dead. After a lull, fighting resumed last month, with Pakistan describing the confrontation as an "open war." The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said on Friday that at least 75 civilians have been killed in the country since clashes with Pakistan intensified on February 26. Afghan authorities say 18 civilians were killed in the past week alone.
Afghan officials reported that Pakistani shelling in recent days killed three children and a woman in eastern Afghanistan and that mortar fire struck the Afghan Dubai area of Khost, killing two children. One civilian death was also reported in Nuristan province when shelling hit a home.
Humanitarian Impact
Repeated cross-border strikes and skirmishes have disrupted trade and forced tens of thousands from their homes. The UN refugee agency estimates around 115,000 people have been displaced by the recent fighting. The World Food Programme (WFP) said it has begun delivering "life-saving food" to more than 20,000 displaced Afghan families and warned that further instability could push millions into hunger.
At a WFP distribution site in Paktia province on the eastern border, just over 100 displaced people gathered at dawn to receive fortified biscuits, an AFP photographer reported.
The situation remains tense, with independent verification of some claims still pending and international agencies monitoring humanitarian needs as displacement and civilian casualties rise.
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