Pakistani Media Claims Two Afghan Drones Approach Islamabad, Pakistan's President: Afghanistan "Has Crossed the Red Line"

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Pakistan, Huang Xiaona] Pakistan's national television reported that from the night of the 14th to the early morning of the 15th, the Pakistani military launched airstrikes in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, targeting "terrorist hideouts and military facilities." The Pakistani military stated that these targets had long been "aiding the terrorist organization Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in attacking innocent Pakistani civilians." According to local Afghan officials, the airstrikes resulted in at least 6 deaths and several injuries.

Pakistani media reported that on the day before the airstrikes, two drones launched from Afghanistan approached Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Although the drones were intercepted and shot down, debris from the drones injured at least 4 Pakistani civilians. The military conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan continues to escalate, with Pakistani President Zardari warning that Afghanistan's attacks on Pakistani civilians have "crossed the red line" and will lead to serious consequences.

The Daily Pakistan stated that the latest airstrikes by the Pakistani military are part of "Operation Justice's Fury," which has been ongoing since February 27 as part of Pakistan and Afghanistan's "open war." The actions by Pakistan aim to combat cross-border attacks by the Afghan Taliban and eliminate the threat of terrorism to Pakistani civilians.

Pakistan's national television emphasized that the latest airstrikes by the military highlight the increasingly tense relationship between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, stating that "Islamabad is trying to curb organizations it perceives as threats to national security."

The airstrikes by the Pakistani military are widely regarded as retaliation for the drone attack on Islamabad the previous night. On the evening of the 13th, a special correspondent for the Global Times in Pakistan clearly heard the sound of fighter jets flying over the city of Islamabad, as the Pakistani air defense forces shot down the two Afghan drones before they reached the city. The Pakistani military's media office reported that the drones launched from Afghanistan did not cause any damage to Pakistani military facilities, but debris from the drones injured at least 4 people, including 2 children. On the 15th, Afghan forces attacked civilian areas in Pakistan, resulting in 4 deaths.

Since late February, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in ongoing military conflict, with frequent exchanges of fire in border areas and multiple incursions into each other's territory. Al Jazeera quoted United Nations data indicating that from February 26 to March 5, approximately 115,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict. The Pakistani military's media office stated to reporters that "Operation Justice's Fury" will continue until Pakistan achieves its goal—ensuring that the Afghan Taliban regime no longer harbors, supports, or protects terrorists.

According to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, on the 14th, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Jaishankar referred to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan as "an act of aggression." On the 15th, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Andhrabi vehemently refuted this claim, stating that India's remarks are "not only absurd and baseless but also a shameful act of hypocrisy." He emphasized that Pakistan's actions against terrorists within Afghanistan are legitimate, precise, and targeted, while India's "active support and funding" of various terrorist organizations targeting Pakistan within Afghanistan is well-known.

During a public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Afghanistan held on the 10th, the permanent representatives of India and Pakistan engaged in direct verbal confrontations. India criticized Pakistan for conducting cross-border strikes in Afghanistan, while Pakistan accused "New Delhi of being implicated in the terrorist threats along Pakistan's western border." 

On the 15th, Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting Talal stated to the media that since the onset of the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict, the Afghan Taliban regime has been spreading false news, falsely claiming that they are gaining the upper hand in the conflict, misleading public opinion within Afghanistan. "The Afghan people have suffered greatly, while the Taliban regime supports terrorists and fosters terrorist organizations that threaten Pakistan." Talal also stated that no one supports the Afghan Taliban regime except for India.