In a further escalation of tensions, Pakistani military said that it carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan late Wednesday, targeting what officials described as “important sites” in the provinces of Kabul and Kandahar, following a series of powerful explosions in both locations.
An anonymous Pakistani security official, speaking to Afghan media confirmed that the PAF had carried out “significant targets in Kabul and Kandahar were hit.” However, there have been no verified reports of casualties so far.
Locals in Kabul confirmed four large explosions near Sarak-e-Panj in the Taimani Project area and the Chaharahi Asbha junction. Witnesses said the blasts continued intermittently, with loud detonations heard every few minutes.
According to locals, the explosions occurred near the premises of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi School in Taimani, with several residents attesting to hearing the blazing sound of fighter jets overhead, just moments before they saw explosions in the near distance.
Afghan Taliban reportedly rushed to the scene on military vehicles with ringing sirens to contain the situation, as panicked residents fled the area.
The Taliban have not officially commented, but their spokesperson released a video claiming that one of the explosions was caused by a fuel tanker blast.
The airstrikes mark a significant escalation in tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, following days of deadly cross-border clashes between the two sides along the frontier areas, and conducting deep strikes inside each other’s territories.
