Afghanistan said it had fired at Pakistani aircraft over Kabul after explosions and gunfire rocked the capital early on Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in fighting between the two neighbours.
Blasts echoed across parts of Kabul before sunrise, followed by bursts of gunfire, a Reuters witness said. It was not immediately clear what had been targeted or whether there had been casualties.
Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan air defences had engaged Pakistani aircraft over the city.
"Air defence attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft. Kabul residents should not be concerned," Mujahid said.
Pakistan’s prime minister’s office, information ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment.
The exchange follows Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan earlier this week, which Islamabad said targeted militant infrastructure. Kabul condemned those strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and announced retaliatory operations along the countries’ 2,600km (1,615-mile) border.
The Taliban-run government denies harbouring militants after Pakistan accused it of sheltering fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad says is waging an insurgency inside Pakistan.
The latest confrontation represents the heaviest fighting in years between the neighbours and has raised fears of a prolonged border conflict.
Pakistani security sources said an operation known as "Ghazab Lil Haq", meaning "Wrath for the Truth", was under way, and claimed Pakistani forces had destroyed Afghan posts and camps.
Both sides have reported heavy losses and issued conflicting casualty figures. Reuters was unable to independently verify the claims.
The violence comes amid broader regional instability following U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks on U.S. targets in Gulf states, adding to concerns about escalation across the region.
Diplomatic efforts have intensified, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Russia, China, the European Union and the United Nations urging restraint and calling for talks.
The U.S. said it supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif described the situation as "open war".
Afghanistan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani warned the conflict would be "very costly", adding that only front-line forces were currently engaged and that Afghanistan had yet to fully deploy its military.
Uzbekistan could lose up to $1.5 billion if escalating Middle East tensions disrupt vital trade and logistics routes through Iran, putting pressure...
Pakistan is turning to more U.S. crude as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz exposes the risks of its heavy reliance on Gulf energy supplies....
Russian opposition politician Lev Shlosberg has been sentenced to 11 years and one month in a penal colony after being convicted of criticising Rus...
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
Russia has summoned Japan’s ambassador to Moscow and delivered a strong protest over what it called “anti-Russian” remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi concerning four disputed islands.
Pakistan is turning to more U.S. crude as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz exposes the risks of its heavy reliance on Gulf energy supplies.
U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Xavier Brunson visited South Korea's Defence Ministry on Tuesday to discuss plans to scale back the joint Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise, according to media reports.
European countries are stepping up investment in drones and counter-drone technology as unmanned systems reshape modern warfare, driving demand for new production and capabilities across the continent.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment