Afghan forces crossed ‘red line’ with drone attacks on civilians, says President Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday warned neighbouring Afghanistan’s Taliban government that it had “ crossed a red line ” by launching drone attacks on civilian areas in Pakistan and said the administration in Kabul has brought “grave consequences upon itself.”

The statement by Zardari was the latest in what has become the deadliest fighting yet between the two neighbours. The cross-border clashes, which erupted late last month, have shown no signs of abating despite efforts by China and Turkey to broker a ceasefire.

Pakistan said its forces intercepted the drones launched on Friday but that falling debris injured two children in the city of Quetta and two people elsewhere in the country.

On Friday, the Afghan Taliban government accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes in Kabul, the country’s capital, and other areas in eastern Afghanistan, saying at least six civilians were killed and 15 other were injured.

Hours later, Kabul claimed its air force responded by targeting military installations near Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, and in northwestern Pakistan.

Pakistan denied targeting civilians, saying its operations are focused on Pakistani Taliban militants and their support networks. Islamabad has referred to the conflict as an “open war” — adding to concerns among the international community about regional stability as the US-Israeli war with Iran has engulfed the Middle East and beyond.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Pakistani aircraft also struck fuel depots belonging to the private airline Kam Air near the airport in the southern city of Kandahar, which he said supplies civilian and UN flights.

On Friday, a roadside bomb targeting Pakistani police killed seven officers in the northwestern district of Lakki Mawat.

Zardari slammed the government in Kabul. “While the Afghan terrorist regime seeks negotiations with our friendly countries, it crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians,” he said.

Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday on X that its defence forces along the border in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar captured a Pakistani post and killed 14 Pakistani soldiers. In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Information Ministry said the claim was baseless.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rubbished claims by the Afghan Taliban regarding the capture of a military post, saying it was “designed to mislead internal public opinion” in the neighbouring country. In a post on the social media platform X, the ministry’s fact-checking account posted a photo of a post by the Afghan Ministry of Defence, which claimed that a Pakistani military outpost was captured while 14 soldiers were martyred.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, meanwhile, said, “Another false claim by the Afghan Taliban Regime has been exposed.” In a post on X, he said, “These false claims have no basis or foundation. On the other hand, all the damages and losses being incurred by the Afghan Taliban and their extension Fitna Al Khawarij are updated by the Ministry of Information with irrefutable pictorial and video evidence regularly.”

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, said the “Afghan Taliban are spending more time weaving fantasies” than they are getting rid of “terrorist organisations enjoying Afghan Taliban regime hospitality.”

China urges Afghanistan, Pakistan to resolve tensions via talks, not forcet

He said on X that such propaganda would not force Pakistan to end its counterterrorism operations. “Only the end of terrorism from Afghan soil to Pakistan will,” he said.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged for a peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute, warning the use of force worsens tensions and threatens regional stability. His remarks were reported on Saturday by China’s official Xinhua News Agency, which said Wang had spoken with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, seek an immediate ceasefire and address differences through dialogue, according ​to the statement. The further use of force ‌would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions, Wang said.

Agencies