A bold counterstrike by Afghan forces has left Pakistan reeling, with Kabul claiming the elimination of 55 enemy soldiers and seizure of key military installations. The Afghan Defense Ministry detailed the operation Friday, framing it as justified payback for Islamabad’s deadly incursions into sovereign Afghan land.
Triggering the response were Pakistani airstrikes on February 22 that devastated civilian areas in Nangarhar, wiping out an entire family of 22 and damaging a school. Mujahid highlighted the absence of militants in these strikes, calling them deliberate targeting of innocents.
Afghan troops struck back Thursday night, infiltrating across the Durand Line to dismantle Pakistani defenses. Over four grueling hours, they razed two bases, 19 posts, and compelled retreats from others. Captured assets included weapons caches, ammo, a tank wreckage, and a military truck—trophies that bolster Afghanistan’s narrative of dominance.
Casualties on the Afghan side were steep but tolerable: eight dead, 11 injured. A fresh Pakistani missile hit on a Nangarhar refugee camp wounded 13 more civilians, intensifying calls for accountability.
Mujahid’s stark warning to Al Arabiya English left no ambiguity: military reprisal was non-negotiable. He dismissed Pakistan’s reflexive blame on Afghanistan for cross-border attacks, insisting Kabul forbids its territory’s use against neighbors.
As recriminations fly, this episode revives old border wounds. Pakistan maintains its strikes hit militants, but Afghan evidence paints a picture of aggression against non-combatants. With both armies on high alert, de-escalation appears distant, threatening to destabilize South Asia’s powder keg.