Kabul, 3 March

Amid escalated cross-border tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Ministry of National Defence of the Islamic Emirate stated that it had carried out airstrikes on major military installations in Pakistan, including the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, describing the action as a response to Pakistani air raids on Afghan territory.

In a post on X, the Ministry of National Defence of Afghanistan stated that the Afghan Air Force conducted "effective airstrikes" targeting important Pakistani military facilities.

According to the statement, the strikes include the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, the 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Balochistan, and the Khoizai camp in the Mohmand Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with other military sites housing key facilities and centres.

"The Air Force of the National Defence Ministry today once again carried out effective airstrikes on important military bases in Pakistan. These strikes included Nur Khan Base in Rawalpindi, and the 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Balochistan, the Khoizai camp in the Mohmand Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and some other military sites in Pakistan that house important military facilities and centres. These attacks resulted in significant damage to these targets," the post read.

Notably, the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi's Chakala also suffered significant damage in May last year following India's coordinated strikes on key military installations in Pakistan, which came as part of Operation Sindoor, in retaliatory action by the Indian Armed Forces.

The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of 7 May, as a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Satellite images captured by Maxar Technologies on 13 May revealed significant damage to multiple air bases in Pakistan, including Nur Khan Air Base.

Images show damage to four Pakistani air bases: Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, Bholari Air Base, and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad.

Satellite images taken on 25 April 2025 and 10 May 2025 showed damage to airbase facilities, confirming strikes on Nur Khan Air Base.

Meanwhile, the Afghan defence ministry also stated that the operation was launched in retaliation for airstrikes that were carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul, Bagram and other areas "last night and today".

"According to preliminary information, these attacks have resulted in significant damage to the mentioned targets. This operation was carried out in response to the airstrikes launched by the Pakistani army, which targeted Kabul, Bagram, and some other areas last night and today," the post read.

Warning against further escalation, the ministry added that any violation of Afghan airspace or "lack of respect by the evil parties in Pakistan" would be met with a strong response.

The recent reports of cross-border strikes mark a sharp escalation in tensions between the two neighbouring countries.