Pakistani air force shelled a market in Afghanistan

Pakistani aircraft fired at a market in Afghanistan located near the border, the Taliban Defense Ministry announced on Friday. The ministry accused Islamabad of violating Afghan airspace in an act of provocation, Reuters reported.

– This is an unprecedented, brutal and provocative act. We strongly condemn this violation of Afghan airspace. Defending our territory is our right, said the Afghan Ministry of Defense.

Pakistan's defense ministry responded by demanding that Afghan soil not be used for terrorism against Islamabad. – The army is doing and will do what is necessary to protect the lives of Pakistani citizens, the ministry announced.

Pakistan blames Afghanistan for sheltering the rebel Islamist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP has been attacking Pakistani security forces since 2007, seeking to overthrow the government and introduce fundamentalist Islamic law in Pakistan. Kabul denies these accusations.

On Thursday evening, Afghan media reported that a series of explosions had rocked Kabul. The causes of the explosion and the number of possible victims remain unknown. Taliban government spokesman Zabihulla Mujahid said an investigation into the cause was ongoing. In a post on the website, X assured that “everything is fine. (…) There are no reports of any victims so far.”

After the explosions in Kabul, speculations appeared on social media that Pakistan was behind the attack, the Qatari television website Al Jazeera reported, adding that the attack allegedly targeted high-ranking TTP leaders, including its leader Noor Wali Mehsud. The Amu TV portal reported that the attack was successful and Meshud was killed.

Afghanistan's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said the Kabul explosions should be considered “Pakistan's mistake.” (PAP)

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