Taliban Claims Airstrikes on ISIS Targets Inside Pakistan, Warns of More Cross-Border Operations
Afghan Taliban says precision strikes targeted ISIS hideouts in Pakistan, vows to eliminate every threat to Afghanistan as tensions with Islamabad escalate sharply.
The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for carrying out cross-border airstrikes against alleged Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) targets inside Pakistan, marking a dramatic escalation in already strained relations between the two neighboring countries. The Taliban said the operation targeted militant facilities used to plan attacks against Afghanistan and warned that similar action would continue if threats persist.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence, the strikes hit multiple locations believed to be ISIS-K operational centers in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Taliban officials described the operation as a “precise and necessary” military response aimed at protecting Afghanistan’s national security from cross-border terrorist networks.
The Taliban alleged that the targeted facilities were being used to recruit, train and coordinate ISIS-K fighters responsible for attacks inside Afghanistan. It also claimed that certain hostile intelligence networks were assisting the group’s activities, though no evidence was publicly released to support the allegation.
In a strongly worded statement, Taliban authorities warned that they would strike “every threat” wherever it originated if militant groups continued using territory outside Afghanistan to launch attacks. The warning signals a more assertive Afghan security posture and raises concerns about further military exchanges along the volatile frontier.
Pakistan had not immediately confirmed the Taliban’s account of the strikes or acknowledged damage at the alleged target locations. Independent verification of the operation and casualty figures also remains unavailable, leaving several key claims unconfirmed.
The latest development comes only days after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, saying it was targeting militant groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani territory. Those operations reportedly caused significant civilian casualties, prompting sharp condemnation from the Taliban government and further deepening diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated steadily over disputes involving cross-border militancy, border management and mutual accusations of harboring armed groups. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of providing sanctuary to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while the Taliban rejects those allegations and instead accuses Pakistan of allowing ISIS-K networks to operate from its territory.
Security analysts warn that the Taliban’s public acknowledgment of conducting airstrikes inside Pakistan represents a significant shift in regional dynamics. If confirmed, it would be among the rare occasions on which the Taliban has openly claimed direct military action beyond Afghanistan’s borders, increasing the risk of a broader confrontation between the two countries.
The escalation also raises concerns about regional stability in South Asia, where cross-border terrorism, refugee movements and diplomatic tensions have intensified in recent months. International observers are expected to closely monitor whether either side pursues further military operations or returns to diplomatic engagement to prevent a wider conflict.
