Pakistan Air Force conducts airstrike in Kabul, rumors of TTP chief being killed

The Pakistan Air Force has conducted a fierce airstrike in the Afghan capital Kabul. The attack, which took place shortly after midnight on Thursday, shook the entire city with the loud sound of the explosion. According to eyewitnesses, two powerful explosions were heard in quick succession, breaking the silence of the night, which instantly spread panic throughout Kabul.

Rumors of Noor Wali Mehsud being killed

Pakistan's influential media outlet Pakistan Observer reported that there are strong rumors that Noor Wali Mehsud, the head of the banned terrorist organization Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has been killed in this subtle and targeted attack. It is believed that the organization's top leader Qari Saifullah Mehsud and several other close associates have also lost their lives along with him.

Multiple sources said that the attack targeted Noor Wali Mehsud's car while he was moving in Kabul. The car was completely destroyed in the powerful explosion. Although local media has not yet officially confirmed his death, he is reported to have been seriously injured.

Witnesses said that Mehsud was openly in the car at the time of the attack. He led the TTP, one of Pakistan's largest terrorist organizations. Noor Wali Mehsud had long been at the top of the Pakistani security forces' "wanted list."

Tensions and fears of retaliation on the border

Pakistan has tightened security in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region bordering Afghanistan after the airstrike. The TTP has a strong presence in the region and last week, 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a TTP attack there.

Earlier, the Pakistani army had killed dozens of TTP members in an operation in the same area, which triggered a counterattack by the organization.

On Thursday, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told parliament,

"Enough has happened, we will not tolerate such attacks again."

The airstrike in Kabul came just an hour after his speech, further heightening tensions between the two countries.

Panic grips Kabul

Local residents in Kabul said they saw warplanes circling in the sky during the attack and heard two explosions in quick succession. Many fled their homes to seek safety.

Afghan Taliban government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the attack on social media, saying,

“The magnitude of the explosion was not very large, the situation is under control.”

However, eyewitnesses claimed that the force of the explosion was so strong that nearby buildings shook and many windows were broken. Security forces have increased patrols in important areas of the city.

Emergency meeting of the Pakistan Army

After the incident, the Director General of the Pakistan Army’s intelligence agency DGFI, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, called an emergency press conference at the Peshawar Corps headquarters on Friday morning. The Pakistan Observer reported that detailed information and possible motives for the attack in Kabul may be revealed there.

Although Pakistan has not yet officially claimed responsibility for the attack, security analysts see it as a ‘targeted strike’ against the TTP leadership. They believe that the operation was carried out in retaliation for the recent attacks by the TTP.

Where will the situation go

Currently, tensions are high on the Afghan-Pakistan border. Analysts fear that diplomatic relations between the two countries may deteriorate further. According to them, if the TTP confirms the news of the death of their leader, then there may be major retaliatory attacks inside Pakistan.

The international community is closely monitoring this new military tension in South Asia. According to analysts, such a move could make the regional security situation fragile and the possibility of a major conflict in the future cannot be ruled out.