Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Saturday that Afghan Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighboring Pakistan, days after Pakistani aircraft conducted an aerial bombardment inside Afghanistan.
The ministry’s statement did not explicitly name Pakistan, instead referring to the strikes as occurring “beyond the ‘hypothetical line,'” a term used by Afghan authorities to describe a disputed border with Pakistan.
The ministry explained that the strikes targeted areas serving as hideouts for militants and their supporters, who were allegedly involved in coordinating attacks against Afghanistan.
“These areas beyond the hypothetical line were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern direction of the country,” the statement read.
Enayatullah Khowarazmi, a spokesperson for the Afghan Defence Ministry, clarified that Afghanistan does not recognize the territory as part of Pakistan.
“We do not consider it to be the territory of Pakistan, therefore, we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line,” he said.
Afghanistan has long rejected the Durand Line, the border drawn by British colonial rulers in the 19th century, which divides the tribal areas between the two nations. The border remains a contentious issue, with both countries holding differing views on its legitimacy.
No casualties or specific areas targeted were mentioned in the statement, and Pakistan’s military and foreign ministry have yet to comment on the developments.
Afghan authorities had previously warned of retaliation after the Pakistani bombardment, which they claimed had resulted in civilian casualties. Islamabad maintained that it had targeted militant hideouts near the border.
The two nations share a strained relationship, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.
