Pakistan–Afghanistan Conflict: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan appear to be escalating once again. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has claimed that the Pakistan Air Force targeted a fuel depot belonging to private airline Kam Air, located near Kandahar Airport.
Mujahid posted on social media platform X, stating that this fuel depot supplies fuel not only to domestic airlines but also to United Nations aircraft. He also alleged that Pakistan had previously attacked the fuel reserves of a national businessman, Haji Khan Zadah.
Increased Attacks Near Durand Line
Meanwhile, tensions also appear to be rising around the Durand Line. According to reports, the Pakistani army shelled the Alisher-Terejai area of Khost province. In this attack, four members of a single family were killed, while three others were injured. Clashes between the two countries intensified around the Durand Line in February. During this period, reports also emerged of airstrikes by Pakistan in several Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul. Air strikes targeting Kabul and other cities were also carried out on February 27.
Pakistan Declares it ‘Open War’
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described the current situation as ‘open war’. He accused the Taliban government of sheltering international terrorists and promoting extremism. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence claims that approximately 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliation along the Durand Line on February 26.
Pakistan’s Allegations Regarding Terrorism
Indeed, the Durand Line has been a long-standing point of contention. Tensions in relations between the two countries have escalated further since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan states that terrorist organizations like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are finding refuge in Afghanistan, a concern it has consistently raised.
TTP Formed in 2007
It should be noted that TTP was formed in Pakistan in 2007. It is a separate organization from the Afghan Taliban, but it is believed that both share deep ideological and social ties. Recently, there has been a significant increase in attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army and TTP in Pakistan. Pakistan’s provinces bordering Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, are most affected by these violent incidents.
