Pakistan’s Airstrikes In Kabul ‘Another Act of Aggression’; India Reiterates Afghan’s Sovereignty Be Respected

India has for years called out Pakistan for its double standards on terrorism, and has now condemened the recent airstrikes by the country inside Afghanistan. This comes after Afghan authorities claimed that Islamabad Pakistan carried out new strikes on Kabul and several border provinces, killing four people in the capital.

Commenting on the same, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called them “another act of aggression” by Islamabad as tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalate sharply. These strikes are reported to have killed civilians and damaged infrastructure across multiple Afghan provinces,

Reacting to the developments on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said the strikes reflect Pakistan’s continued hostility toward a sovereign and stable Afghanistan.

India reacts to Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan

New Delhi also reiterated that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be fully respected. With this, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India condemns the air strikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s territory, leading to the death of several civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure.”

“This is yet another act of aggression by a Pakistani establishment that remains hostile to the idea of a sovereign Afghanistan,” he stated in response to media queries.

Civilian casualties reported in multiple Afghan provinces

Afghan officials confirmed that Pakistani airstrikes carried out between Thursday night and Friday hit several locations across the country, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktika, Khost and Nangarhar. According to Afghan government deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat, at least four civilians were killed and more than 25 injured in Kabul alone.

Local authorities said several civilian structures were damaged during the strikes. In Kandahar, reports suggested that an oil depot was among the sites targeted during the bombardment.

The latest attacks have further intensified tensions between the two countries, which have long been at odds over border security and militant activity along the Durand Line, the disputed border separating Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Kabul retaliates with strikes in Pakistan’s Kohat

In response to the Pakistani strikes, the Afghan Ministry of National Defence announced that its forces conducted retaliatory operations targeting Pakistani military infrastructure. According to Kabul, Afghan forces struck military centres and installations in the Kohat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“In response to last night’s incursions by the Pakistani military regime, Afghan air forces conducted strikes this morning on strategic military centres and installations of the Pakistani army in the Kohat area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the ministry said in a statement shared on X.

Afghan authorities said the targets included a military fort and a command centre near the Durand Line.

Growing India-Afghanistan engagement

Meanwhile, India’s sharp response comes amid growing diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Kabul, despite the Taliban-led administration not being formally recognised by many countries. India has in recent months increased humanitarian assistance, development cooperation and diplomatic contacts with Afghanistan.

Senior Afghan officials, including ministers from the Taliban administration, have also visited India for consultations and engagement on regional issues.