Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires Summoned in Kabul Over Alleged Airstrike, Retaliation Threatened

Kabul: The Afghan Ministry of Defense has accused Pakistan’s military aircraft of violating Afghan airspace and bombing a refugee camp in the Paktika province’s Bermal district, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The airstrikes reportedly targeted four locations, including key figures of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), such as its media cell head Muneeb Jatt, Umar Media, and commanders Akhtar Mohammad Khaleel and Abu Hamza, during a large gathering of TTP members in Bermal.

These strikes are believed to be a response to the increasing number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan attributed to TTP militants. The raids came on the same day that Pakistan’s special envoy, Mohammad Sadiq, was in Kabul for talks with the Taliban government aimed at resolving security issues.

Following the airstrikes, Sadiq met with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, to continue discussions on a diplomatic solution to the TTP issue. Shortly after, Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a protest letter. However, no official response from Pakistan has been issued as of yet.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense took to social media to condemn the airstrikes, labeling them as an act of aggression and a violation of international norms. In their statement, they warned that such actions would not lead to a resolution and affirmed Afghanistan’s right to defend its territory, threatening retaliation.

The Paktika province borders Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions, areas that have seen increasing cross-border tensions, especially following the December 21 attack on a Pakistani military post in South Waziristan, which killed 16 security personnel. Pakistan accused militants crossing from Afghan soil for the attack, which further heightened tensions between the two countries.

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Pakistan has consistently stated that the rise in militancy is due to the use of Afghan territory by the banned TTP, which continues to plan attacks on Pakistani security forces, as well as Chinese and Pakistani citizens. Pakistani authorities claim to have shared evidence with the Afghan government, but no action has been taken to curb the cross-border militant activity.

Security analysts suggest that Afghanistan’s current government lacks the capability to take direct action against militants operating within its borders. According to the Pakistan Center for Conflict and Security, the highest number of attacks occurred in November, resulting in 240 deaths, including 70 security personnel.

As tensions continue to rise, Pakistani officials have indicated that, as a last resort, military action within Afghanistan may be considered.