Pakistan-Taliban Alliance Collapses as Islamabad Strikes Afghan Border Targets

Pakistan has launched a series of cross-border military strikes against Taliban-linked militant positions inside Afghanistan, marking a dramatic breakdown of the de facto alliance that once defined Islamabad's relationship with Kabul's rulers since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

Why the Alliance Collapsed

Pakistani officials cited a series of deadly attacks carried out by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which operates from sanctuaries in Afghan territory, as the immediate trigger. The most recent attacks killed dozens of Pakistani soldiers in the border provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Islamabad had repeatedly demanded Kabul rein in the TTP, but Afghanistan's Taliban rulers denied harbouring the group.

Strikes and Taliban Response

Pakistan's air force and artillery conducted strikes on suspected TTP training camps and logistics hubs in Afghanistan's eastern provinces. The Taliban government condemned the attacks as a violation of Afghan sovereignty and threatened retaliatory measures. The strikes have displaced civilians in the affected border regions and further strained an already volatile bilateral relationship.