Explosion in Kabul Reportedly Kills Leader of Pakistan’s Tehrik-e-Taliban
On Thursday evening, the capital of Afghanistan was shaken by two successive explosions. These blasts occurred around 10 p.m. in various parts of Kabul, causing concern among residents. Following the incident, several locals reported hearing the sound of airplanes or drones flying over the city.
Local sources in the areas of Shahr-e-Naw, Dashte Barchi, Khwaja Rawash, and Kherkhana confirmed the intensity of the explosions in these neighborhoods, with some witnesses stating that the site of the incident was near Kabul’s airport. One report mentioned that a Land Cruiser vehicle at the Abdul Haq intersection was targeted in an airstrike.
According to a media report, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was killed during the attack; if confirmed, this could have significant security implications for relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration.
Officials from the Taliban administration have yet to provide details regarding the nature of the attack, its targets, or the identity of the victims. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the administration, while acknowledging the reports of explosions, said investigations are ongoing and the situation is “calm and under control.”
Meanwhile, media outlets close to Pakistani military sources have claimed that several senior leaders of the TTP in Kabul were targeted, though no official or independent sources have confirmed these claims so far.
In response to these events, Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence announced it will hold an urgent press conference to review security developments. The country’s army spokesman is scheduled to share Pakistan’s perspective on the Kabul attack and related terrorism threats today, Friday, at the Peshawar command headquarters.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, issued a strong statement accusing the Taliban administration of harboring individuals accused of terrorism and warned that Islamabad will not tolerate further provocative activities originating from Afghan soil. Criticizing the Taliban’s conduct, he asked, “What kind of guests are these who spill the blood of their hosts?”
These remarks from Pakistani officials come as the international community has repeatedly urged the Taliban to prevent terrorist group activities from Afghan territory. However, denial, ambiguity, and obfuscation have remained key policies of the Taliban administration in response to targeted attacks in Kabul and other parts of the country.
