Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan reached a fever pitch as Kabul’s forces unleashed hellfire on Kohat’s military nerve centers, destroying forts and commands in a swift payback for Islamabad’s border violations. The National Defense Ministry’s Friday disclosure via X set the record straight on the operation’s success.
Prompted by Thursday’s Pakistani flyovers, Afghan jets zeroed in on the Kohat fort and a Durand Line-adjacent command hub. ‘Strategic Pakistani installations in Kohat were decimated in response to their incursions,’ the post read, with the 2km-distant commander’s HQ suffering catastrophic damage alongside depots and barracks.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid decried the originating attacks on Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, and Paktika as barbaric, especially amid Ramadan’s holy closure and impending Eid-ul-Fitr. ‘They slaughtered women and children in homes and wasted bombs on deserts,’ he charged, while alleging strikes on Kam Air’s vital fuel at Kandahar Airport and prior merchant depots.
UNAMA’s verification from Pul-e-Charkhi painted a grim toll: at least four civilian deaths and 14 injuries from the night raids. Their X appeal was unequivocal: ‘Cease fire immediately to avert more tragedy.’
This volatile exchange underscores enduring Durand Line frictions, where sovereignty clashes with militancy claims. Afghanistan’s forceful stance may deter future aggression but risks entangling neighbors in proxy wars. As Eid approaches, the world urges restraint, with UN mediation potentially key to peace.