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After Islamabad’s ‘open war’ declaration, Afghanistan strikes Pakistan bases; Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase hit

Statesman News Service

A satellite-style image shared by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence on X shows a highlighted section of Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, which Kabul says was targeted during its strikes on Pakistani military installations. (Photo: X/@MoDAfghanistan2)


Kabul on Monday said it had carried out coordinated air operations on several Pakistani military facilities, marking a serious escalation in tensions between the two countries.

In a statement shared on X, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence said its Air Force targeted what it described as key installations inside Pakistan. These included the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Khwazai Camp in Mohmand Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the 12th Division headquarters in Quetta. The ministry said the strikes were in response to recent Pakistani air operations in Kabul and Bagram.

 

According to the Afghan statement, other command centres were also hit during the operation. It said early assessments indicated “significant damage” to the intended targets.

“Based on preliminary assessments, the strikes successfully caused significant damage to the intended targets. These operations were carried out in response to the recent aerial incursions by the Pakistani military, which struck Kabul, Bagram,” read the statement.

The ministry warned that any further violation of Afghan airspace or what it called “acts of aggression” would be met with a “swift, decisive, and proportionate response”.

The announcement comes days after Islamabad described the situation with the Afghan Taliban administration as “open war” following renewed clashes along the border. Pakistan had carried out airstrikes in Kabul and Kandahar on Friday, hours after Afghan forces reportedly attacked Pakistani troops near the frontier in what was described as retaliation for earlier strikes.

Taliban claims casualties and drone downing

In a separate development, the Taliban claimed that 32 Pakistani soldiers were killed in overnight retaliatory operations by Afghan forces, according to Afghanistan-based TOLO News.

The Afghan Defence Ministry said the operations were carried out by the 203 Mansouri, 201 Silab, and 205 Al-Badr Corps. It claimed that apart from the fatalities, 10 Pakistani soldiers were injured and four military outposts were destroyed.

Sediqullah Nasrat, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, said Afghan forces used “laser weapons and advanced equipment” in operations across Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, and Kandahar provinces. He also claimed that two Pakistani military drones were shot down.

The Nur Khan Airbase, located near Rawalpindi, is considered one of the Pakistan Air Force’s key facilities. The base had earlier been struck during India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, after which repair work was reported at the site.

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