Taliban blames Pak for drone strikes in Kabul

Kabul, Oct 17: Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Thursday accused Pakistan of carrying out two drone strikes in Kabul the previous day, targeting a civilian home and a market.
The strikes came just before both countries agreed to a ceasefire following days of deadly cross-border clashes , the worst violence between them since 2021.
While Taliban police did not confirm casualties, hospital sources reported five people killed and dozens wounded, many suffering from shrapnel injuries, burns, and blunt force trauma.
Initially, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the incident as an oil tanker explosion.
However, the Kabul police later confirmed the drone attacks.
The strikes coincided with a UN-brokered truce aimed at halting escalating violence that had already claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds injured in both countries.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomed the ceasefire and reported at least 17 civilian deaths and 346 injuries in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, on Wednesday.
It also documented at least 16 other casualties in earlier clashes across various provinces.
The UN called for a permanent end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further bloodshed.
Pakistan has not released its own casualty figures but claimed its forces shot and killed dozens of militants who crossed from Afghanistan into the Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Islamabad has long accused the Taliban of harboring anti-Pakistan militants — a charge Kabul denies.
The clashes began on October 10 and raised alarm across the region, already destabilized by the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS and al-Qaida.
Despite the ceasefire, key border crossings remained closed on Thursday.
Tensions continue to simmer along the 2,611-kilometre Durand Line — the disputed border Afghanistan has never officially recognized — contributing to the long-standing friction between the two neighbours.
Pakistani authorities have ordered Afghan migrants to leave their homes and shops in Quetta within a week, warning against those who stay there illegally.
Homeowners and shopkeepers who rent their properties to Afghan nationals have been directed to clear them within seven days.
Enforcement teams will start inspecting the properties after the deadline expires.
Property owners have been warned of fines and arrests if they do not follow the order.
The action comes after violent clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters along the Spin Boldak border crossing on Wednesday.
Later in the day, Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a 48-hour ceasefire, effective 5.30 PM Kabul time Wednesday.
Rights groups argue that the action against Afghan migrants coincides with increased political and military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, resulting in rising deportations and harassment.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan have said that police harassment, arrests, and evictions have increased after escalating border tensions between the two nations, causing fear and uncertainty among thousands of displaced families.