Pakistan strikes Afghan facility after Taliban drone attacks
Pakistan carried out strikes on a military facility in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Saturday, following overnight drone attacks by Taliban forces on civilian and military sites in Pakistan.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the drone attacks, warning that Kabul had "crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians." Pakistan's military said the drones were locally produced and rudimentary, intercepted before reaching targets, though falling debris wounded two children in Quetta and civilians in Kohat and Rawalpindi. Islamabad stated the Kandahar facility was used to launch the drones and as a base for cross-border rebel activity.
The strikes mark the sharpest escalation in border tensions since late February. Previous Pakistani operations targeted alleged Pakistan Taliban fighters and ISIL (ISIS) Khorasan fighters sheltering in Afghanistan, charges denied by the Taliban government. Pakistan also struck sites in Kabul, killing four civilians including women and children, and two more in eastern provinces, as well as a Kam Air fuel depot near Kandahar airport, which an airport official said supplied aid organizations with no military installations.
Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense claimed its forces captured a Pakistani border post along the Durand Line in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, killing 14 soldiers and wounding 11, while destroying an armored tank and vehicle. Islamabad dismissed the claim as baseless, with the prime minister's spokesman accusing the Taliban of "weaving fantasies."
India's Foreign Ministry condemned Pakistan's airstrikes for killing civilians and destroying infrastructure, calling it aggression against Afghanistan's sovereignty. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the criticism as "hollow and baseless," accusing India of supporting Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and other groups, and urged it to prevent terrorism from Afghan soil.
The UN mission in Afghanistan reported at least 75 civilians killed and 193 injured since hostilities intensified on February 26, including 24 children, with 115,000 displaced.
Know more about this story?
If you have additional information or believe something is inaccurate, let us know. Your tips help us stay accurate.
Where reports agree
- Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghan soil
- Afghan Ministry of Defense claimed capture of Pakistani border post and 14 soldiers killed (with Pakistani denial)
- India condemned Pakistan's actions
- Pakistan responded to India's criticism
Where reports differ
- Location of Afghan retaliation: Kandahar facility (Al Jazeera) vs. Kunar/Nangarhar provinces (Ariana News)
- Specific casualties from Pakistani strikes: 6 total civilians (Al Jazeera) vs. unspecified civilian deaths (Ariana News)
More in Security
420 Policemen Graduate from Parwan Police Training Center
Pakistani jets conduct airstrikes in Kandahar; local sources claim Taliban leader's special forces targeted
Pakistani Aircraft Bomb Command Center of Mullah Hibatullah's Omari Unit Near Kandahar
Pakistani airstrikes target command of Taliban leader Hibatullah's special forces in Kandahar
Reliable420 Policemen Graduate from Parwan Police Training Center
420 policemen from Parwan, Kapisa and Panjshir graduated from the Parwan Police Training Center after two months of training, with the commander emphasizing Sharia-based instruction. The center has trained around 9,000 policemen overall.
DevelopingPakistani jets conduct airstrikes in Kandahar; local sources claim Taliban leader's special forces targeted
Pakistani fighter jets struck Kandahar on March 14-15, 2026, with local sources claiming the targets included a special forces unit of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, while spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said civilian sites were hit with no casualties. The attacks are part of over two weeks of ongoing Pakistani operations and Taliban retaliation along the border.
DevelopingPakistani Aircraft Bomb Command Center of Mullah Hibatullah's Omari Unit Near Kandahar
Pakistani aircraft struck the command center of Mullah Hibatullah's 7,000-member Omari Unit near Kandahar's 13th district on Saturday night (23 Hoot), sources said, with explosions heard across the city and a follow-up attack in the 11th district. The unit, commanded by Mullah Abdul Ahad and better equipped than other Taliban forces, secures the Taliban leader and conducts anti-ISIS operations.
DevelopingPakistani airstrikes target command of Taliban leader Hibatullah's special forces in Kandahar
Pakistani aircraft struck the headquarters of Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah's special "Umri Unit" in Kandahar and another Taliban site, prompting a force recall order, local residents and Taliban sources said. The Taliban's Supreme Court announced the flogging of 21 people in Kabul for drug and alcohol offenses.