Why did Pakistan carry out airstrikes in Afghanistan? | Explained Premium

The Hindu explains the trigger behind the recent airstrikes in Afghanistan, and the current status of the relationship between the Taliban and Islamabad.

The story so far: In a major escalation of tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan this week, Pakistani fighters carried out airstrikes inside the Afghan provinces of Paktika and Khost, leading to fighting along the border. At least eight civilians, including three children, were killed in the pre-dawn attacks, Afghan officials said.

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other splinter groups were the prime target of the “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” early March 18, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said, as it blamed the TTP for the surge in terror incidents in the country. Most recently, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing at an army outpost in North Waziristan district, for which President Asif Ali Zardari had vowed retaliation.

The Taliban strongly condemned the strikes, and as retaliation, attacked Pakistani military posts along the border using “heavy weapons.” In a statement, the Taliban described the military action as a “reckless” violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, adding that such incidents could have “very bad consequences.”

Although the fighting along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has stopped for now, the incident highlights the increasing tension between the two countries as Islamabad has accused the Taliban of providing refuge to terrorists launching frequent attacks on its territory.

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The 2,670-kilometre Durand Line which marks the international land border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has long been a point of contention between the two nations. Cutting through the Pashtun-dominated regions, the Line stretches from Afghanistan’s border with China in the north to its border with Iran in the south.

A majority of Pashtuns, including Taliban leaders and fighters, living along the border, have refused to endorse the demarcation. Successive Afghan governments have also disputed the Line, claiming Pashtun territories in Pakistan, including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and parts of the North West Frontier Province. The disagreement over the border has caused tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, despite their historically good relations. Pakistan played a significant role in mediating the 2020 U.S.-Taliban agreement and supported the Taliban after they regained power in Afghanistan in 2021.