BLURB: Pre-dawn explosions in Kabul heighten fears of prolonged Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict.
Kabul
Afghanistan said it fired at Pakistani jets over the capital, Kabul, early Sunday after explosions and gunfire shook the city, deepening instability in a region already unsettled by US–Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks across Gulf states.
According to a Reuters witness, multiple explosions echoed across parts of Kabul before sunrise, followed by sustained bursts of gunfire. The exact targets were not immediately clear, and there was no confirmation of casualties at the time of reporting. Residents reported panic as air defence systems appeared to activate in response to aerial activity over the city.
The Taliban administration’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghan forces had launched air defence attacks against Pakistani aircraft flying over the capital. Air defence attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft. Kabul residents should not be concerned, Mujahid said in a statement, seeking to reassure citizens amid rising tensions.
The incident follows a week of escalating hostilities between Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government and Pakistan. Islamabad has conducted strikes against what it describes as militant targets inside Afghanistan, accusing Kabul of harbouring insurgent groups responsible for cross-border attacks, allegations the Taliban authorities strongly deny.
The renewed confrontation marks some of the heaviest fighting between the two neighbours in years, raising fears of a prolonged conflict along their 2,600-kilometre (1,615-mile) shared border. The deteriorating security situation has prompted concern from regional powers. Countries including Qatar and Saudi Arabia have called for restraint and expressed willingness to mediate efforts toward a ceasefire.
The latest developments come at a time of broader regional volatility, with tensions already high due to military actions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Analysts warn that simultaneous flashpoints across the region risk creating a wider and more unpredictable security crisis, particularly if border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan intensify further.
