Rising Tensions: Kabul Explosions Deepen Rift Between Pakistan and Taliban
KABUL/ISLAMABAD — A series of loud explosions and bursts of gunfire shook Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, late Thursday evening, intensifying already strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban government.
Local media reported multiple blasts across the city, though the cause and extent of casualties remain unclear. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that “an explosion was heard in Kabul city” and said investigations were underway. Posting on social media platform X, Mujahid assured residents that “everything is fine” and no injuries had yet been reported.
The timing of the blasts comes amid a sharp escalation in tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan government of harboring anti-Pakistan militants, particularly those belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group has been blamed for a surge in deadly attacks targeting Pakistan’s security forces since the Taliban regained power in August 2021.
Adding to the intrigue, the explosions coincided with the arrival of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in India for a rare six-day diplomatic visit — the first such trip since the group’s return to power.
Pakistan Denies Involvement Amid Speculation
Following the Kabul blasts, speculation flooded social media claiming Pakistan may have carried out strikes targeting senior TTP figures, including its elusive chief Noor Wali Mehsud.
However, neither the Taliban government nor Pakistani authorities have confirmed such allegations. A senior Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera, “We have seen media reports and statements from Afghan officials about explosions in Kabul. However, we have no further details on this matter.”
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued any official statement. For now, Mujahid’s calm remarks indicate that there were no major casualties.
A Fragile Relationship Tested by Violence
Once perceived as close allies, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban now appear to be drifting apart. While Islamabad provided refuge and support to Taliban leaders for decades, the group’s rise to power in 2021 has not brought the stability Pakistan hoped for.
Instead, the TTP has resurged, carrying out hundreds of deadly attacks on Pakistani forces. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the group was responsible for more than 600 attacks last year alone — and 2025 already appears on track to surpass that figure.
The Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) reported that violence in the first three quarters of 2025 nearly equaled the entire toll of 2024, one of Pakistan’s bloodiest years in nearly a decade.
Most of these attacks have been concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. In recent weeks, dozens of Pakistani soldiers have been killed in ambushes and suicide bombings. The Pakistani military said it recently killed over 30 militants in an operation in the Orakzai tribal district.
Islamabad Issues Stern Warnings
As the violence escalates, Pakistan’s leadership has become increasingly vocal in blaming the Taliban. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, visiting wounded soldiers last month, issued a strong message to Kabul:
“Afghanistan must choose one of two paths. If they seek friendly relations with Pakistan, we welcome that. But if they continue supporting terrorists, we will not tolerate it.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed similar sentiments in parliament, accusing the Taliban of enabling cross-border attacks.
“Despite years of negotiations and goodwill, the bloodshed in Pakistan continues. Every day, we bury our soldiers while paying the price of hosting millions of Afghan refugees for decades,” Asif said.
Pakistan has hosted more than six million Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion in the 1980s. However, in late 2023, Islamabad began mass deportations, forcing nearly one million Afghans to return home — a move that has further strained ties.
Diplomatic Thaw Falters
Earlier this year, both sides attempted to mend relations. In April, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul, initiating talks with Taliban leaders under China’s mediation. The meetings briefly reduced cross-border tensions, but the calm was short-lived.
As the violence resurged through 2025, trust between the two governments has eroded once again.
Cross-Border Strikes Raise Stakes
The Pakistani military has previously conducted airstrikes inside Afghan territory, most recently in December 2024. Analysts warn that if Pakistan was indeed behind the latest Kabul explosions, it could mark a dangerous escalation.
Tameem Bahiss, a Kabul-based security analyst, said such actions would only harden positions.
“Previous Pakistani airstrikes yielded no results. They only deepened mistrust and made cooperation against the TTP even harder,” Bahiss explained.
Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, co-founder of The Khorasan Diary, said that if Pakistan was behind the attacks, they might have been intended as a warning.
“Pakistan could be signaling that it’s ready to pursue high-value targets inside Afghanistan — whether in Kabul, the political capital, or Kandahar, the Taliban’s spiritual base — if the Afghan leadership continues turning a blind eye to TTP activities,” Mehsud noted.
However, experts caution that such actions could backfire.
“If Pakistan continues expanding cross-border strikes, Afghan citizens might start sympathizing with the TTP. That sympathy could turn into new recruits, funds, and even quiet support within Taliban ranks,” Bahiss warned.
Growing Regional and Global Concerns
The situation is being closely monitored by regional powers, especially China, India, and Iran, all of whom have vested interests in maintaining stability along Afghanistan’s borders.
While the Taliban deny harboring TTP fighters, Pakistan insists otherwise. The lack of coordination between the two governments has left both nations vulnerable to militant attacks and geopolitical isolation.
The last high-profile attack in Kabul before this incident was in 2022, when al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a U.S. drone strike — an operation reportedly conducted without the Taliban’s knowledge.
As tensions mount once again, both nations face the challenge of balancing national security with regional diplomacy. For now, the Kabul explosions serve as another grim reminder that the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints.