ALBAWABA- Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base late Friday, marking a significant escalation in rapidly deteriorating relations between the two neighbors.
Local sources in Parwan province said three Pakistani fighter jets targeted the sprawling airfield north of Kabul, once a major U.S. military hub, triggering multiple explosions. Sections of the base were reportedly damaged, including facilities allegedly used by Taliban forces for drone operations. Initial reports indicated at least four people were killed and 14 injured, though casualty figures have not been officially confirmed.
Taliban authorities imposed restrictions on media coverage of the strike sites, warning local outlets against reporting from affected areas.
The attack comes amid intensifying cross-border hostilities that have pushed the two countries into open confrontation. Last Thursday, Afghan Taliban forces claimed to have seized 17 Pakistani border posts and killed 40 Pakistani soldiers, describing the action as retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes days earlier in Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost provinces.
Islamabad said those earlier strikes targeted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts and killed more than 70 militants, while Afghan officials claimed 18 civilians also died.
Pakistan followed with further bombardments in Kabul, Kandahar and border regions on February 27. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared that Islamabad had exhausted its patience over what it calls Kabul’s harboring of militants, signaling a shift toward “open war.”
Casualty figures from the week-long clashes remain sharply disputed. Pakistan says nearly 300 Taliban fighters have been killed and two of its own personnel lost. Afghan officials claim 55 Pakistani soldiers have died, 19 posts were destroyed and several troops captured.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the latest strikes as violations of Afghan sovereignty, while signaling openness to dialogue potentially mediated by Qatar or Turkey. Pakistani officials maintain their operations are aimed solely at countering terrorism threats inside their territory.
The renewed violence mirrors deadly clashes in 2025 that displaced thousands and strained a fragile ceasefire reached in October. The United Nations has called for immediate de-escalation, warning of mounting humanitarian risks for communities along the volatile border.
