Afghanistan Claims Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Pakistan Amid Rising Border Tensions

Kabul, June 2026 : Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence on Friday claimed that its armed forces carried out airstrikes against alleged ISIS-linked targets located in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

According to a statement issued by the ministry and reported by Afghan media outlets, the overnight operation targeted locations that Afghan authorities say were being used by militant groups to plan and coordinate attacks inside Afghanistan. The ministry asserted that several of the most deadly attacks witnessed in Afghanistan in recent years were linked to networks operating from these areas across the border.

The Afghan Defence Ministry said that “important and designated targets” were successfully struck during the operation. It maintained that the action was aimed at protecting Afghanistan’s national security and preventing future militant activities.

In a strongly worded statement posted on social media platform X, the ministry declared that Afghanistan would no longer tolerate threats to its sovereignty and stability.

“They have been successfully targeted. It is worth remembering that Afghanistan, henceforth, will not tolerate any threat against its security and stability, and by utilizing all its capabilities and capacities, will neutralize and eliminate any threat in its infancy,” the statement read.

The reported strikes come against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides increasingly exchanging accusations over cross-border militancy and security concerns. Over the past several months, tensions have intensified due to a series of incidents involving armed clashes, border violations and allegations of support for militant groups.

The latest development follows a diplomatic dispute earlier this month when Afghanistan lodged a formal protest against Pakistan over alleged airstrikes inside Afghan territory. On June 11, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in Kabul and condemned what it described as violations of Afghan airspace and attacks on civilian areas.

Afghan officials claimed that Pakistani airstrikes conducted on the night of June 9 targeted residential locations in the provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika. According to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the attacks resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman and an elderly man. He also stated that 14 women and children were injured in the strikes.

Following the incident, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement describing the alleged attacks as a violation of international law and accepted norms governing relations between sovereign nations. The ministry stressed that protecting Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and ensuring the safety of its citizens remained a fundamental responsibility of the state.

The Afghan government also urged Pakistan to address its domestic security challenges rather than pursuing what it called “proxy policies.” Questioning the justification for military action, the ministry asked how the deaths of women and children in one region could contribute to security in another.

“We once again explicitly remind you that the responsibility for all the consequences of these repeated violations and crimes will lie with the Pakistan Army,” the ministry stated.

The reported Afghan airstrikes represent one of the most direct military actions claimed by Kabul against targets inside Pakistan in recent times. While Pakistani authorities had not immediately issued an official response, the development is expected to further strain relations between the two countries.

As regional security concerns continue to grow, observers fear that continued military exchanges and escalating rhetoric could undermine stability along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and complicate efforts to address the persistent threat posed by extremist groups operating in the region.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)