Taliban Accuse Pakistan Of Violating Ceasefire With Airstrikes, Vow To Expose 'Duplicity' | Exclusive

Last Updated:October 18, 2025, 01:04 IST

Afghan defence ministry sources view the military action not as a legitimate counterterrorism move but as a 'humiliation tactic' directed at the Taliban administration

Taliban officials in Kabul firmly maintain that none of the bombed sites hosted fighters from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with reports suggesting the strikes hit civilian compounds and a cricket club. (Representational pic: AFP)

Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on October 17 have been condemned by the Taliban as a “clear violation of the Doha understanding" and a deliberate attempt to derail ongoing talks, internal sources within the Taliban’s defence ministry in Kabul have told CNN-News18.

The attacks, reportedly carried out by Pakistani drones and F-16s targeting the Argun and Barmal districts, have drawn a furious reaction from the Taliban’s top brass. Sources close to the ministry, led by Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid, view the military action not as a legitimate counterterrorism move but as a “humiliation tactic" directed at the interim Afghan administration.

Taliban officials in Kabul firmly maintain that none of the bombed sites hosted fighters from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with reports suggesting the strikes hit civilian compounds and a cricket club.

The defence ministry, sources said, is now operating under directions from the supreme leader, positioning itself to strategically retaliate and expose Islamabad’s actions on the international stage. A primary objective, according to these sources, is for Mullah Yaqoob to “expose Pakistan’s duplicity" in front of key mediators, particularly Qatar and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) observers.

The immediate response from Mullah Yaqoob is said to involve selective artillery fire directed at Pakistani border posts near Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan, a calculated escalation designed to demonstrate resolve without triggering a full-scale war.

Kabul’s Taliban insiders further suggest that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is actively planting “false signals intelligence" (SIGINT) claiming TTP presence in Paktika to justify its preemptive strikes. This alleged misinformation campaign, they say, was used to “derail the ceasefire narrative" while talks were ongoing.

The attack has also exposed internal rifts within the Taliban, with some members reportedly calling for a “temporary boycott" of negotiations in a show of protest. In Doha, the Taliban’s negotiating team immediately convened an emergency overnight meeting at the Palace to reassess the volatile situation.

Taliban sources interpret Islamabad’s behavior as an act of desperation, claiming Pakistan is “working under Western pressure to show strength" and is driven by internal instability. They argue the strikes were a result of Pakistan’s “internal desperation" stemming from domestic political and security challenges, suggesting the move was designed to distract from a worsening situation at home.

News world Taliban Accuse Pakistan Of Violating Ceasefire With Airstrikes, Vow To Expose 'Duplicity' | Exclusive

Read More