Explosions and Airstrikes Rock Kabul; Pakistan Suspected

Kokcha News Agency – Kabul was shaken by intense explosions on the evening of October 17, with residents also reporting the sound of aircraft in the area. The blasts were so powerful that they were heard across most parts of the city. A Taliban spokesperson stated that an investigation into the incident has been launched.

Informed sources reported that military aircraft targeted leaders of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) in Kabul. No country has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but Pakistan had previously threatened to target its opponents wherever they seek refuge. The Pakistani army is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow regarding the attack.

Sources indicated that two aircraft were involved in the operation. The Green Trend, led by Amrullah Saleh, claimed that the airstrikes targeted Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban.

While multiple sources confirmed the attack on TTP leaders in Kabul, there is no verified information about their fate following the strike.

Pakistan has long claimed that TTP leaders, including Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur, reside in Afghanistan. Over the past two years, the Pakistani military has repeatedly targeted TTP bases in eastern Afghanistan, including in Khost, Nangarhar, and Paktia provinces. However, this is the first time Pakistan has targeted TTP leaders in the Afghan capital.

The attacks on Kabul appear to be a response to the rising casualties among Pakistani security forces. Early Wednesday morning, at least 11 Pakistani soldiers, including two officers, were killed in clashes between TTP militants and security forces.

The following day, Pakistani security forces also suffered casualties in the Ismail Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan has seen an unprecedented increase in militant attacks in recent months, primarily targeting military personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. These attacks intensified after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the Pakistani government in 2022.

Recent reports from the Pakistan Institute for Peace and Security and the Center for Research and Security Studies indicate that violence in the first quarter of 2025 has nearly matched the total for all of 2024.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly warned that if the Taliban does not curb TTP activities in Afghanistan, Pakistan will target its opponents wherever they are hiding.

The Pakistani military claims that attacks in tribal areas are organized and executed from Afghan soil.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, told the country’s parliament on Thursday that Islamabad’s patience with terrorists and their supporters has run out. He announced that a delegation will be sent to Kabul next week to issue a final warning to the Taliban.

Pakistan labels the TTP as “Indian-backed extremists” and Baloch separatists as “Indian conspirators,” accusing the Afghan Taliban of collaborating with India to destabilize Pakistan.

However, the Taliban denies any support or shelter for the TTP. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, emphasized at the Moscow Format meeting that Afghan soil poses no threat to neighboring countries.

Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have significantly deteriorated. The Taliban has grown closer to India, Pakistan’s longtime rival, and Muttaqi is currently on an unprecedented official visit to New Delhi.

He is scheduled to meet with senior Indian officials, including the Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor.

Observers believe that Pakistan’s airstrike on Kabul could also be a message in response to Muttaqi’s visit to India. The Taliban has yet to issue an official response to the attack, but this event marks a new phase in the relationship between the two sides. The strike signals that no part of Afghanistan is safe from Pakistani airstrikes.