Why Pakistan Just Crossed Into Afghanistan to Strike Back

Pakistan just crossed a line—literally. Early Sunday, Pakistani forces struck what they called militant hideouts inside Afghanistan. But Kabul hasn't said a word. What pushed Islamabad to take such a risky step?

13 Dead Soldiers in Three Days

The math is brutal. In less than 72 hours, Pakistan lost 13 military personnel in two separate attacks near the Afghan border. The deadliest came when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security post in Bajaur district. The blast collapsed part of the compound, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Authorities confirmed the attacker was an Afghan national.

Hours later, another suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in nearby Bannu district, killing two more soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. For Pakistan's military, this wasn't just terrorism—it was a declaration of war.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the retaliation on X before dawn Sunday, describing "intelligence-based, selective operations" against seven camps belonging to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and its affiliates. An Islamic State affiliate was also targeted in what Pakistani officials called precision strikes.

The Taliban's Awkward Silence

Here's what's telling: Afghanistan's Taliban government hasn't responded. Social media reports suggest the strikes hit inside Afghan territory, but Kabul remains conspicuously quiet. This silence speaks volumes.

The Afghan Taliban and TTP are separate organizations, but they're ideological twins. Both share the same extremist vision, and TTP provided crucial support when the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. Now the Afghan Taliban faces an impossible choice: abandon their "brothers" or risk escalating conflict with Pakistan.

Pakistan claims it has "conclusive evidence" that recent attacks—including a suicide bombing that killed 31 worshippers at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad earlier this month—were carried out "on the behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers."

The Doha Agreement's Empty Promises

Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to honor their commitments under the Doha Agreement—specifically, preventing their territory from being used to launch attacks against other countries. But as Tarar put it, "no substantive action has been taken."

The numbers tell the story. Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent years, with attacks by both TTP and outlawed Baloch separatist groups reaching levels not seen since the height of the War on Terror. After Saturday's violence, Pakistan's military warned it would "not exercise any restraint" and would continue operations "irrespective of their location"—diplomatic speak for "we'll cross borders if we have to."

A Cycle of Cross-Border Violence

This isn't Pakistan's first rodeo. In October, similar cross-border strikes followed deadly border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants. Ironically, that violence began after explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan.

A Qatar-mediated ceasefire largely held, but talks in Istanbul failed to produce a formal agreement. Relations remain strained, with each side accusing the other of harboring hostile forces.

The Bigger Regional Game

Pakistan's strikes reflect a broader regional dilemma. When the Afghan Taliban returned to power, many hoped it would bring stability. Instead, various militant groups now operate more freely than ever. The Taliban government lacks either the will or capacity to control all armed factions within its borders.

For Pakistan, this creates an existential threat. The country fought its own brutal war against TTP for over a decade, only to see the group reconstitute itself across the border. Now Pakistani officials face a grim choice: accept regular attacks on their forces or risk escalating conflict with their nuclear-armed neighbor's proxy groups.