Afghan Taliban forces have attacked several locations in Pakistan in retaliation for recent airstrikes, reports the Afghan defense ministry

Afghan Taliban forces have launched strikes on “multiple locations” in neighboring Pakistan, as reported by Afghanistan’s defense ministry on Saturday. This action follows recent aerial bombardments conducted by Pakistani aircraft within Afghan territory.

While the statement from the Defense Ministry did not explicitly name Pakistan, it mentioned that the operations occurred “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’,” a term used by Afghan officials to describe a contested border with Pakistan.

The ministry stated, “Several locations beyond the hypothetical line, identified as centers and hideouts for hostile elements and their affiliates who orchestrated and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern region of the country.” When asked if the statement pertained to Pakistan, ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi remarked, “We do not recognize it as Pakistani territory; thus, we cannot confirm the location, but it was indeed on the other side of the hypothetical line.”

For decades, Afghanistan has disputed the border known as the Durand Line, established by British colonial powers in the 19th century, which runs through a mountainous and often unstable tribal area between present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. No information regarding casualties or specific locations affected was disclosed. The Pakistani military’s public relations office and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond immediately to inquiries for comment.

Afghan officials issued a warning on Wednesday regarding potential retaliation following a Pakistani airstrike that they claim resulted in civilian casualties. In response, Islamabad stated that its operations were aimed at militant hideouts situated along the border.

The relationship between the two nations remains tense, with Pakistan alleging that numerous militant assaults within its territory have originated from Afghanistan, a claim that the Afghan Taliban refutes.