Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border escalated sharply after the Afghan Army claimed it shot down a Pakistani fighter jet over eastern Afghanistan and captured the pilot alive.
According to Afghan officials, the aircraft was brought down in Nangarhar province. The first details were shared by Nangarhar Police spokesperson Sayed Tayeb Hamad, who said the Pakistani pilot is currently in the custody of six units of the provincial police.
Afghan Corps Confirms Downing in Nangarhar
The spokesperson for the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps, Wahidullah Mohammadi, confirmed the claim, stating that a Pakistani jet allegedly entered Nangarhar to carry out an attack before being shot down by Afghan forces.
He asserted that the pilot survived the crash and was taken into military custody. Mohammadi added that Afghan air and ground forces remain fully prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Afghan authorities also released an image they said showed the parachute used by the Pakistani pilot during ejection, presenting it as proof that the aircraft was hit and the pilot survived.
Soon after the announcement, hundreds of youths gathered outside a police station in Nangarhar, chanting slogans against Pakistan and voicing support for Afghan security forces.
Pakistan Launches Strikes on Afghan Corps Headquarters
As of now, there has been no official confirmation or denial from the Pakistani military regarding the claim.
However, shortly after Kabul’s announcement, Pakistan reportedly carried out heavy retaliatory airstrikes targeting the headquarters of the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps in Nangarhar and the 205 Al-Badr Corps in Kandahar.
Local sources said at least two brigade buildings were struck in powerful explosions during the strikes.
The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides exchanging claims and counter-claims. With cross-border hostilities intensifying, fears of a wider military confrontation continue to grow.
