Afghanistan Taliban airstrikes target ISIS bases in Pakistan as Islamabad shoots down drones

The Taliban‑run Afghan government said its air force struck alleged Islamic State Khorasan (IS‑KP) facilities in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, claiming heavy militant casualties and no civilian deaths. Pakistan’s military reported intercepting and destroying four Afghan drones over Balochistan and warned of a strong response to any further provocations. The cross‑border attacks follow a series of Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan that UN officials say killed dozens of civilians, prompting reciprocal accusations and heightened tension along the 1,600‑mile frontier. India condemned Pakistan’s strikes as aggression, while Pakistani officials accused Afghanistan of harbouring militants. Both sides continue to blame each other for civilian casualties, and the dispute has drawn regional concern but no immediate diplomatic resolution.