Khawaja Asif Acknowledges Pakistan Airstrikes in Kabul

Islamabad,  Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly confirmed for the first time that Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan earlier this month targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in Kabul and other cities.

Speaking in an interview with Arab News, Asif acknowledged that TTP leadership is based in Afghanistan, saying, “They are housed over there — nobody can deny that. That is why we went after them when there were strikes in Kabul last week and a couple of other cities.”

This marks the first official admission by a senior Pakistani official of cross-border air operations against TTP sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.

Asif also revealed an agreement reached during talks in Doha, where Türkiye and Qatar will act as guarantors to ensure the TTP does not use Afghan soil to launch attacks on Pakistan. Follow-up discussions between both sides are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25.

“The mechanism of this arrangement will be decided there — how to monitor the activities of the TTP in Afghanistan,” he added.

The defense minister noted that tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan had escalated recently to direct clashes. However, both countries now agree that eliminating terrorism is vital for regional peace.

Asif said his Afghan counterpart recognized that terrorism is the main source of tension and committed to taking necessary steps to address the issue. Both sides agreed to establish clear mechanisms for resolving outstanding concerns.

Highlighting Pakistan’s significant human and economic losses due to terrorism, Asif expressed hope for a return to peace and normalization of bilateral relations, including trade and transit, between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Read More:UN Holds Banned TTP and Afghan Government Responsible for Terrorism in Pakistan

The United Nations has held the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghan government responsible for the rising wave of terrorism in Pakistan.

According to a UN report presented to the Security Council, the surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan is linked to the continuous financial and logistical support provided to TTP by the Afghan Taliban. The report reveals that TTP remains active and powerful within Afghanistan, with the Afghan Taliban allegedly providing them with $43,000 per month.