Afghanistan responded strongly to Pakistani attacks on Friday that targeted the country’s two largest cities, the capital Kabul and Kandahar, killing six people, as claimed by Taliban officials. The escalation comes amid renewed tensions between the two Islamic neighbours, which Islamabad described as an “open war” a few weeks ago.Taliban-ruled Afghan authorities reportedly targeted strategic military centers and installations of their nuclear-armed neighbor in response.
A handle on X, identified as Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence, claimed that Pakistan’s “night-time” violation on the Durand Line, the disputed border between the two countries, was appropriately responded to by Afghan forces.“In response to the night-time violation of the Durand Line by the Pakistani military regime, the Afghan Air Force this morning targeted strategic military centers and Pakistani military installations in the Kohat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the handle wrote.It further claimed, “In the strikes, Kohat Military Fort was destroyed and near the same fort, within two kilometres, the command center for the Durand Line conflict and the office of the Commander of the Military Fort were also precisely targeted.”Earlier, Pakistan had launched attacks on Afghanistan targeting Kabul and Kandahar. The Islamabad strikes also targeted homes in the Afghan capital and destroyed a fuel depot at Kandahar airport.