The Afghan Defense Ministry confirmed on Saturday that Afghan Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighboring Pakistan, days after Pakistani jets carried out an aerial bombardment inside Afghanistan.
The ministry’s statement did not explicitly name Pakistan, instead referring to the strikes as taking place “beyond the ‘hypothetical line,'” a term used by Afghan authorities to describe a disputed border with Pakistan.
The ministry said the strikes targeted areas serving as hideouts for militants and their supporters, who were allegedly involved in coordinating attacks on Afghanistan.
“These areas beyond the hypothetical line were targeted in retaliation from the southeast of the country,” the statement said.
Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, clarified that Afghanistan does not recognize the territory as part of Pakistan.
“We do not consider this to be the territory of Pakistan, so we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line,” he said.
Afghanistan has long rejected the Durand Line, the border drawn by British colonial rulers in the 19th century that divides tribal areas between the two nations. The border remains a contentious issue, with the two countries having divergent views on its legitimacy.
No casualties or specific targeted areas were mentioned in the statement, and Pakistan’s military and foreign ministry have yet to comment on the developments.
Afghan authorities had previously warned of retaliation after the Pakistani bombing, which they said caused civilian casualties. Islamabad claimed to have targeted militant hideouts near the border.
The two countries share strained relations, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, an accusation the Afghan Taliban denies.
