Suspected Pakistani Airstrikes Rock Kabul, TTP Chief Noor Wali Mehsud Reportedly Killed

By Staff, Agencies

Two powerful explosions shook central Kabul late Thursday, fueling speculation that Pakistan carried out precision airstrikes targeting Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] chief Noor Wali Mehsud, one of Islamabad’s most wanted militant leaders.

The blasts occurred near Abdul Haq Square in Kabul’s eastern District 8, with eyewitnesses describing two successive detonations followed by bursts of gunfire and an unusually heavy Taliban security deployment. AFP correspondents reported Taliban units sealing off intersections, searching vehicles, and ordering civilians away from the site as mobile networks across several districts went dark.

While Taliban officials sought to downplay the incident—asserting that no casualties or damage had been reported—regional sources and Pakistani media indicated otherwise. Several outlets, including Dawn and The Express Tribune, cited unnamed intelligence sources claiming that Pakistani fighter jets or drones struck a specific target believed to house senior TTP figures.

According to Amu TV and other Kabul-based media, the strike may have killed Noor Wali Mehsud along with senior associates Qari Saifullah Mehsud and Khalid Mehsud, though neither Islamabad nor Kabul has officially confirmed the reports. Witnesses told local journalists that a Land Cruiser was hit near the blast site, but Afghan authorities have yet to verify the claim.

In a brief statement on X, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid attempted to calm public alarm, writing:

“The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul. However, no one should worry; it is all well and good. The investigation of the incident is underway, and no report of any damage has been given so far.”

Despite Mujahid’s reassurance, major Afghan news outlets such as Tolo News confirmed that the Abdul Haq intersection had been closed for several hours, causing widespread traffic disruption.

Pakistani outlets have portrayed the incident as a cross-border counterterrorism strike, following a week of escalating rhetoric between Islamabad and Kabul. Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Afghan Taliban of providing safe havens for TTP operatives, warning that Pakistan would take action “against facilitators on either side of the border.”

No official statement has been issued by Pakistan’s Foreign or Defense Ministries, but regional analysts caution that if Mehsud’s death is confirmed, the attack could trigger a violent backlash from TTP factions and exacerbate already fragile relations between the two neighboring countries.