Pakistan Launches Airstrikes In Kandahar And Khost

Taliban authorities said the strikes began at around 3:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, September 24, targeting several locations in Khost and Kandahar. The attacks came a day after Pakistan accused militants operating from Afghanistan territory of carrying out drone attacks inside Pakistan.

Mustaghfar Garbaz, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Khost, said Pakistani aircraft struck Camp Golan in Gurbaz district, areas near Khost city, and parts of Ismail Khel and Mandozai districts. Taliban-controlled media also reported an airstrike on a desert area in District 9 of Kandahar city.

Officials said the strikes caused no casualties or significant damage, though the claims have not been independently verified. Pakistan has not released details about the targets or the results of the operation.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military operation was launched in retaliation for drone attacks that Pakistani authorities blamed on militants linked to the Taliban administration. Pakistani officials said security forces targeted 10 locations across Afghanistan using air and drone strikes.

The strikes are the latest in a series of military exchanges that have strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban government. Islamabad has repeatedly accused armed groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), of using Afghanistan territory to launch attacks into Pakistan, an allegation the Taliban has consistently denied.

Cross-border airstrikes have become an increasingly contentious issue since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Previous Pakistani operations inside Afghanistan have drawn condemnation from Taliban officials, who have described them as violations of Afghanistan's sovereignty and warned of consequences if such attacks continue.

The latest escalation raises fresh concerns about security along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where both sides have exchanged accusations over militant activity, drone attacks and cross-border violence in recent months.

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