Islamic Emirate warns Pakistan over border incursions; Cancels Kabul visit

The spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Zabihullah Mujahid, issued a stern warning to Pakistan on Sunday, saying Kabul will respond firmly to what he described as repeated violations of Afghan sovereignty and airspace.

Mujahid also announced the cancellation of an upcoming Pakistani delegation visit to Kabul in protest at the alleged incursions.

Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Mujahid said IEA forces carried out a “revenge operation” overnight, and gave detailed casualty figures: 58 Pakistani soldiers killed, 30 wounded, and more than 20 security posts seized, he said.

He added that nine IEA security personnel were killed and 16 wounded in the clashes.

Mujahid accused “elements within Pakistan’s system” of seeking to sabotage bilateral ties by spreading disinformation and allowing militant groups to operate from Pakistani soil. He alleged Pakistan was complicit in drug cultivation and had provided safe havens for ISIL-affiliated (Daesh) networks that, he claimed, had been used to plan attacks in Afghanistan and beyond.

On recent airstrikes against Afghanistan, including in Kabul, Mujahid said: “The Islamic Emirate reserves the right to defend its land and airspace and will take decisive measures to protect national sovereignty.”

He also said that the security situation along the Durand Line and in border districts was “under control.” He warned Pakistan to “halt its negative actions against Afghanistan, or it will face serious and unpredictable consequences.”

This comes amid a recent spike in cross-border incidents between the two neighbours, including reports of airspace violations and strikes that have repeatedly heightened tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier.

Islamabad has previously accused militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of using Afghan territory as a staging ground for attacks; Kabul’s authorities have denied allowing external groups to operate from their soil.

Diplomatic ties between Islamabad and Kabul have been strained for months by reciprocal accusations over security and migration issues.

International and regional actors have meanwhile urged both countries to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue to prevent escalation. The cancellation of the Pakistani delegation’s trip is likely to further complicate any immediate diplomatic channels for de-escalation.

At the time of Mujahid’s press conference, Pakistani government or military spokespeople had not issued an immediate response to the figures released by the IEA.

International observers warn however that sustained cross-border violence risks a broader regional fallout, underscoring calls for rapid diplomatic engagement, transparent investigation of incidents, and mechanisms to prevent further clashes along the frontier.

Violating Afghan airspace

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense said on Friday that Pakistan had again violated the country’s airspace and bombed a civilian market in Paktika province, near the Durand Line. Pakistani aircraft also violated the airspace of Kabul, the Afghan capital, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Defense described the attack in a statement as “an unprecedented, violent and heinous act in the history of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

“We condemn this violation of Afghanistan’s airspace in the strongest terms,” the statement said. “It is our legitimate right to defend the country’s airspace and if the situation worsens after these actions, the Pakistani army will be responsible for the consequences.”