Pakistan’s latest airstrikes inside Afghanistan have brought renewed attention to the breakdown in relations between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban. Once viewed by Pakistan as a potential partner, the Taliban-led government is now at the centre of a growing dispute over cross-border militancy, militant sanctuaries and attacks on Pakistani security forces.
Pakistan’s air force recently struck 10 locations in Afghanistan, marking its second round of attacks in four days after a period of relative calm along the border. Islamabad said the strikes were carried out in response to drones originating from Afghan territory. Afghanistan denied launching the drones and said seven Afghans killed in the latest strikes were civilians.
How Relations Between Pakistan and the Taliban Deteriorated
When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan initially regarded the development as an opportunity to improve relations with Kabul. That expectation gradually gave way to frustration as militant attacks inside Pakistan increased.
Islamabad has accused the Afghan authorities of allowing armed groups to operate from Afghan territory. Pakistan has also alleged that India provides weapons and financial support to militants targeting the Pakistani state. Both Afghanistan and India reject these accusations.
The dispute has increasingly involved direct military action. Last year, Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Kabul aimed at the leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who survived the attack. Islamabad has also accused Afghanistan of providing shelter to Baloch separatist groups.
Why Previous Ceasefires Failed
Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to produce a lasting settlement.
A ceasefire agreement reached in Doha in October did not hold. Fighting intensified during the spring, when bombings and airstrikes caused numerous deaths.
Pakistan maintained that its operations targeted military facilities. Afghan authorities disputed that account, saying one strike hit a rehabilitation centre and killed civilians.
China subsequently mediated talks that produced a ceasefire in March. Although the arrangement temporarily halted the fighting, it did not resolve the underlying disagreements over militant activity and cross-border security.
Militant Attacks Triggered the Latest Escalation
The latest round of hostilities followed two major militant attacks in northwestern Pakistan that killed at least 30 people, including soldiers and police officers.
One attack, claimed by an Islamist militant group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, left 24 people dead. A separate exchange of fire with militants resulted in the deaths of Pakistani soldiers.
These incidents intensified Pakistan’s concerns about armed groups operating along the Afghan border and contributed to the renewed military confrontation.
The TTP’s Role in Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions
Several militant organisations operate in northwestern Pakistan. Although they differ in leadership and structure, they share opposition to the Pakistani state.
Among the most prominent is Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban. Established in 2007, the TTP drew inspiration from the Afghan Taliban and developed close ties with the movement. Fighters associated with the two groups have supported one another in the past.
Pakistan has conducted repeated military operations against the TTP, but the organisation has continued its attacks, increasingly targeting Pakistani security personnel.
The relationship between the Afghan Taliban and the TTP has consequently become a central point of contention between Islamabad and Kabul.
Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s Network and Other Militant Factions
Another important organisation is the Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, which has claimed responsibility for recent attacks.
The group previously hosted Al-Qaeda fighters. Following a Pakistani military operation in 2015, its fighters moved into Afghanistan, and the organisation increasingly directed its activities against Pakistan.
It has since developed into an umbrella network bringing together several militant factions. According to the account, Al-Qaeda has been involved in planning, while Gul Bahadur provides leadership.
A Security Dispute That Has Become a Bilateral Confrontation
The deterioration in relations reflects a fundamental disagreement over responsibility for militant violence.
Pakistan maintains that armed groups operating from Afghanistan pose a direct threat to its security and that Kabul must act against them. The Afghan Taliban deny Pakistan’s allegations and have condemned Pakistani airstrikes as attacks on Afghan territory that have caused civilian deaths.
Repeated ceasefires have reduced hostilities temporarily but have not settled these competing claims. The latest escalation demonstrates how unresolved disputes over militant sanctuaries, cross-border attacks and military retaliation continue to strain relations between the two neighbours.
