Taliban Claims Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets in Pakistan

On Tuesday, the Taliban government in Afghanistan announced it carried out “airstrikes” against ISIS positions and other targets in Pakistan. This move comes after a deadly attack by alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on Monday in Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense stated that these “airstrikes”—likely drone strikes, given the regime’s limited air capabilities—targeted locations in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which share borders with Pakistan.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of providing refuge to TTP militants who have been engaged in a sustained campaign against the Pakistani government. In contrast, the Taliban government claims that Pakistan allows ISIS to operate with the goal of destabilizing Kabul.

According to the Taliban, the sites they targeted were allegedly being used for planning attacks against civilians in Afghanistan.

The Taliban stated that the operation was executed “with precision,” claiming heavy casualties and material damage to the targets, while asserting that there were no civilian injuries.

Sources from Afghanistan’s independent Toro News mentioned that one of the targets included a school in Pakistan, which the Taliban said was being used by ISIS and other groups associated with violence.

Despite the Taliban’s claims of precise targeting and no civilian impact, reports indicated that numerous civilians lost their lives. Pakistan, on its part, claimed to have eliminated 29 militants during the incident.

The Pakistan army made a statement noting that it intercepted four drones that were reportedly launched from Afghanistan. Notably, despite the Taliban’s assertions of conducting accurate air strikes, they acknowledged sending only “four rudimentary drones” into Balochistan, all of which were shot down.

Pakistani officials warned that if the Afghan Taliban continue their provocations, they will face strong repercussions.

According to Al Jazeera, Pakistani officials indicated that they would be adopting a strategy of “controlled escalation” in their responses, seeking to be more selective in their retaliation against the Afghan Taliban while remaining firm against threats from non-state actors.

In fact, the tension escalated after Pakistan declared “war” on the Taliban following an attack on a border post on February 27. This conflict has mostly seen skirmishes and limited air strikes, with neither side showing willingness to de-escalate.

Fahad Nabeel, an analyst in Pakistan, commented that Pakistan’s airstrikes have become largely reactive, suggesting that the Taliban has not taken serious measures to prevent Afghanistan from being a launch site for attacks on Pakistan.