KABUL: Afghan forces launched “air strikes” on hideouts of Islamist militants in two provinces of Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban’s defence ministry said on Friday (Jun 19), sparking new tension between the neighbours months after they engaged in their worst conflict in years.
The hideouts in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, both of which share a border with Afghanistan, were targeted by the “air force” on Thursday night, the ministry said in a post on X.
It did not specify how the attack – Kabul’s first major offensive action in months – was carried out.
Afghanistan has no fighter jets but is known to possess at least six aircraft and 23 helicopters, according to data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
The Taliban forces are also known to have drones that have been used in fighting with Pakistan.
“These bases, allegedly used in cooperation with certain hostile intelligence circles to plan and organise attacks against Afghanistan, had previously served as staging grounds for several deadly attacks,” it said.
“According to preliminary information, the operation successfully hit its key pre-designated targets,” it added, without giving details about casualties.
Pakistan’s military and information ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.