The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan that is escalating across the borders relentlessly for more than a month now sees no sign of de-escalation and a permanent resolution. The ceasefire brokered by Qatar and other countries in the previous year holds no meaning as Pakistan is continuously bombarding Afghanistan under the veil of counter-terrorism operations. In the latest spike, Pakistan has launched massive strikes on the Afghan territories thus causing severe damage to infrastructure and the lives of the innocent people, including women and children.
In the latest massive strike, Pakistan has launched more than 200 rockets and artillery shells on Afghan territory in the last 48 hours. The Pakistani strikes were targeted towards multiple regions in the Kunar province of Afghanistan. Kunar’s Department of Information and Culture asserted that no casualties were reported despite severe strikes. The Pakistan and Afghanistan conflict has been spiking since February 21 and has no sight of de-escalation. Pakistan began striking the Afghan territories under the veil of counter-terrorism operations and targeted the Tehrik-e-Taliban(TTP) terror establishments.
In retaliation, the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan launched strikes on the Pakistan territories across the border. Kabul has clearly reiterated that the Pakistani strikes are a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. Pakistan has also launched a series of fresh airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia regions. The Taliban-led government asserted that Pakistan indiscriminately targeted civilian spaces leading to the death of women and children. The Taliban government also accused Pakistan of bombing a fuel depot belonging to a private airline near the Kandahar airport.
The Taliban government also asserted that four members of the same family including two children were killed as an impact of the Pakistan artillery strikes in the Eastern Afghanistan province. Kabul severely condemned the strikes by Islamabad as a “cruel aggression” and claimed that it would not go “unanswered”. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan for providing safe-haven for the TTP terrorists and causing threat to the national security of the country. However, the Taliban government in Afghanistan refuses these allegations as baseless and asserts that Pakistan makes such claims to conceal its terror motives.
Pakistan aims to build fake narratives, cover up its terror motives and divert the attention of the world from its domestic problems such as economic failure, political instability etc. by launching strikes on Afghanistan in the name of counter-terrorism operations, alleges Kabul. In the backdrop of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes New Delhi has also asserted for the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. MEA had exclaimed that Pakistan seeks to “externalize its internal failures”.
