Islamabad, Pakistan – Late Thursday night, Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, was shaken by a series of explosions accompanied by gunfire, as reported by local news outlets. The exact reasons behind the blasts and the number of casualties remain uncertain.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban government, acknowledged the occurrence of an explosion in Kabul and stated that investigations are ongoing to determine its cause.
“An explosion was detected in Kabul city,” Mujahid shared on the social media platform X in Pashto. “There is no need for alarm. The incident is currently under review, and no injuries have been reported so far. At this time, there are no indications of any damage.”
This event unfolded amid escalating tensions between Afghanistan and its western neighbor, Pakistan. Islamabad has accused the Taliban regime, which has governed since August 2021, of harboring militant factions, notably the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan holds responsible for a rise in assaults against its security personnel.
The explosions coincided with the arrival of Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, in India for a six-day diplomatic visit-the first since the Taliban resumed control.
Following the blasts in Kabul, social media buzzed with speculation that Pakistan might be behind the attack, allegedly targeting senior TTP figures, including their leader Noor Wali Mehsud.
Nonetheless, the Taliban have refrained from making any accusations. Pakistani security sources, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on media communication, neither confirmed nor denied involvement. “We are aware of media reports and statements from Afghan officials regarding the Kabul explosions, but we have no additional information at this time,” one official told Al Jazeera.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declined to comment on inquiries from Al Jazeera.
While neither the Taliban nor the TTP has commented on Mehsud’s status, Mujahid’s remarks imply that no fatalities resulted from the explosions.
Historically perceived as strongly supported by Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban are now attempting to reshape their foreign relations by engaging regional powers such as India-once considered an adversary-in hopes of gaining formal diplomatic recognition.
Conversely, Pakistan accuses India of backing militant groups operating within its borders, a claim New Delhi denies.
A Delicate Rapprochement Between Kabul and Islamabad
After enduring one of its bloodiest years in nearly a decade in 2024, with over 2,500 fatalities due to violence, Pakistan and Afghanistan sought to mend their strained ties.
In April, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul, leading to a series of high-level discussions often facilitated by China. These talks resulted in enhanced diplomatic relations and a temporary reduction in hostilities during the summer months.
However, according to the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the violence recorded in the first nine months of 2025 nearly equaled the total casualties of the previous year.
Data from the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) identifies the TTP as the primary driver behind the surge in attacks since 2021.
“Our records indicate that the TTP has launched over 600 attacks or engaged in clashes with security forces in the past year alone. The intensity of their operations in 2025 has already surpassed that of the entire 2024,” ACLED’s recent report highlighted.
In recent days, Pakistan has experienced a spike in violence, with multiple attacks killing dozens of soldiers, predominantly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a lengthy and porous border with Afghanistan. On Friday, the Pakistani military announced it had eliminated more than 30 militants involved in a recent assault in the Orakzai tribal district.
September alone saw at least 135 deaths and 173 injuries. After visiting injured soldiers following raids that claimed 19 lives, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a stern ultimatum to Afghanistan.
“They must choose between two paths. If they genuinely seek to build relations with Pakistan based on goodwill, sincerity, and honesty, we are open to that. But if they opt to support terrorists, we will sever ties with the Afghan interim government,” Sharif declared on September 13.
On the same day, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif accused Afghanistan in parliament of facilitating violence within Pakistan.
“Despite years of negotiations and delegations traveling to Kabul, the bloodshed in Pakistan continues unabated. We mourn our military personnel daily. We are paying the price for hosting six million Afghan refugees over 60 years with our own blood,” he stated.
Pakistan has been home to millions of Afghan refugees since the 1980s, initially following the Soviet invasion, then during the Taliban’s first rule in the 1990s, and again after their 2021 resurgence.
Since November 2023, Islamabad has embarked on a large-scale repatriation campaign, compelling many Afghans-some of whom have resided in Pakistan for decades-to return to Afghanistan. Official figures indicate nearly one million have been repatriated so far.
Growing Distrust and Its Consequences
Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have deteriorated further, occasionally erupting into military confrontations.
The Pakistani military has previously launched airstrikes within Afghan territory, the latest occurring in December 2024.
Experts warn that if Pakistan is indeed behind the recent Kabul explosions, the fallout could be significant.
Tameem Bahiss, a Kabul-based security analyst, noted that the Taliban have consistently denied sheltering TTP militants, and any official confirmation of attacks inside Kabul could exacerbate tensions.
“Past Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan have failed to achieve tangible results. Instead, they have deepened mistrust and complicated efforts to collaborate against the TTP. This recent incident is likely to harden stances further, making dialogue and cooperation more challenging,” Bahiss explained.
The last major targeted strike in Kabul was in 2022, when US drone forces killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, a security analyst based in Islamabad and co-founder of The Khorasan Diary, suggested that if Pakistan carried out the attacks, they might serve as a warning following recent assaults on Pakistani soil.
“Pakistan may be signaling its intent to pursue high-value targets across the border, potentially targeting individuals in Kabul, the political center, as well as Kandahar, regarded as the Taliban’s spiritual hub, if security conditions in Pakistan do not improve and the Afghan Taliban fail to restrain the TTP,” Mehsud cautioned.
However, Bahiss warned that such cross-border operations could backfire.
“If Pakistan escalates strikes inside Afghanistan, it could drive more Afghans to sympathize with the TTP, potentially leading to increased recruitment, funding, and even covert support from factions within the Afghan Taliban,” he said.
Bahiss added that targeting TTP leaders in Afghanistan might provoke the group to intensify attacks within Pakistan.
“If TTP commanders have been targeted or eliminated in Kabul, it sends a clear message that they are not safe even in the capital. The TTP will likely respond by enhancing security, relocating leadership, and possibly launching more aggressive operations in Pakistan,” he concluded.
