A senior Pakistan Army official said the Taliban regime is responsible for preventing the use of Afghan soil for militancy.
This escalation highlights the deteriorating security relationship between the two neighbors, as Pakistan continues to face deadly incursions from militants operating across the border.
On May 9, 2026, the spokesperson said that Afghan soil has become a safe haven for global terrorist organisations under the Taliban regime [1]. The army maintains that the current administration in Kabul must take ownership of its territory to stop Afghanistan from becoming a base for groups launching attacks against Pakistan [2].
To combat these threats, the Pakistani military has increased its offensive operations. A Pakistani army spokesperson said the military will continue to target terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan to protect its people [3]. These operations include strikes on military facilities and tunnels used by militants [4].
The tension follows a period of significant violence. Reports indicate that more than 20 security forces personnel were killed in attacks carried out by the Pakistani Taliban in north-western Pakistan [5]. While the Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for these specific deaths, the Pakistan Army said the Afghan Taliban regime is responsible for allowing the territory to be used by such militants [2, 5].
Diplomatic tensions have also risen at the highest levels of government. President Arif Alvi said the Afghan Taliban have crossed a red line with drone attacks on civilians [6]. This indicates that the conflict has expanded beyond targeted military strikes to include civilian casualties.
“"Afghan soil has become a safe haven for global terrorist organisations under the Taliban regime"”
The shift toward direct military strikes inside Afghanistan suggests that diplomatic efforts to secure the border have failed. By holding the Taliban regime accountable for the presence of militants, Pakistan is signaling that it no longer views the Kabul government as a reliable partner in counter-terrorism, increasing the risk of a broader regional conflict.
