Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government has claimed responsibility for airstrikes on alleged ISIS (ISKP) positions inside Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, saying the targets were being used to plan attacks.
Photo : AP
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government has claimed it carried out cross-border airstrikes against alleged Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) positions inside Pakistan, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the two neighbouring countries following recent Pakistani military operations inside Afghan territory.
According to TOLOnews, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence said its air force struck multiple locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, claiming the sites were being used to coordinate attacks against civilians inside Afghanistan.
Taliban Claims ISIS Command Centres Targeted
According to the Afghan Defence Ministry, the strikes targeted what it described as ISIS joint operational centres and logistical hubs in:
- Saranan area of Pishin district, Balochistan
- Shah Salim Valley in Chitral
- Kambar Khel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Airstrikes Carried Out on Joint ISIS and “Mischief and Corruption” Centers in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Afghan Ministry of Defense’s Air Force carried out airstrikes tonight on a joint ISIS and “mischief and corruption” center in the Saranan area of Pishin District,… pic.twitter.com/rzVYRLNN38
— صدیق الله نصرت / Sadeequllah Nasrat (@NasratMOD) June 30, 2026
Taliban officials claimed the facilities were being used to organise sabotage operations and terrorist attacks against Afghanistan. Sources cited by TOLOnews also alleged that a school in the Saranan area, which they claimed had been converted into an ISIS operational base, was among the locations struck.
The Taliban asserted that the operation inflicted heavy casualties on ISIS fighters and caused significant damage to the group’s infrastructure while claiming that no civilians were harmed. These claims have not been independently verified.
‘We Will Target Every Threat’
Following the operation, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence issued one of its strongest warnings yet regarding cross-border security. “The air forces of the Afghan Ministry of Defence tonight conducted airstrikes on an ISIS joint centre and elements of evil and corruption in the Saranan area of Pushin district, Balochistan province.”
The ministry added that Afghanistan would continue acting against any threat to its national security. “We will target every location that poses a threat to our security.” The statement reflects Kabul’s increasingly assertive posture against militant groups it says are operating from Pakistani territory.
Strikes Follow Deadly Pakistani Operations
The Afghan operation comes only days after Pakistan carried out airstrikes and military operations along the Afghanistan border. Pakistan said its forces targeted militant hideouts linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claiming at least 29 militants were killed.
The Taliban administration disputed that account, alleging that the strikes killed at least 38 civilians, including women and children. Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others injured, while cautioning that casualty figures could increase as rescue efforts continued.
The differing casualty figures have further deepened tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.
India Condemned Pakistan’s Airstrikes
Earlier this week, India criticised Pakistan’s military operations inside Afghanistan. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs described the strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” that undermined Afghanistan’s sovereignty and posed a threat to regional peace and stability.
India also accused Pakistan of exhibiting a “persistent pattern of reckless behaviour” by attempting to externalise its internal security challenges through military action beyond its borders.
