Pakistan shoots down Afghan drones amid cross-border tensions

Pakistan's military announced on Wednesday that it had shot down four rudimentary drones launched from Afghanistan, as cross-border tensions between the two neighbours continue to escalate. The incident follows a militant attack on a security facility in Karachi last week and subsequent Pakistani airstrikes targeting alleged terrorist camps inside Afghanistan.

Military statements

The Pakistani army stated that its air defence network "immediately" detected and neutralised the hostile aerial platforms launched by Afghan security forces on Tuesday in the southwestern Balochistan province. The military warned that if the Afghan Taliban continue to provoke Pakistan, "they would receive a befitting response which would cost them heavily". Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Defence Ministry deputy spokesperson claimed the Afghan Air Force carried out airstrikes on alleged Daesh camps inside Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, inflicting "heavy casualties".

Strained relations

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained for years, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of allowing militants to use its territory for attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan denies these allegations. The latest exchange comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows Pakistan's earlier cross-border strikes, which Kabul condemned as attacks on civilian areas.