Taliban accuse Islamabad of striking fuel depots and border districts amid rising tensions
March 13, 2026: Pakistan’s air force has struck fuel depots belonging to private airline Kam Air near Kandahar Airport in Kandahar, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. In a post on X, Mujahid said the facility supplies fuel to domestic airlines as well as aircraft operated by the United Nations. He also accused Pakistan of previously targeting the fuel storage of a national trader named Haji Khan Zadah.
Separate reports indicated that Pakistani artillery targeted parts of the Alisher-Terezai district in Khost Province near the disputed Durand Line. According to TOLO News, four members of a family were killed and three others injured in the shelling. The attacks come amid a sharp escalation of hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described the situation as an “open war,” accusing the Taliban of harbouring militant groups.
Tensions between the two neighbours have intensified since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with frequent clashes reported along the border. Pakistan has repeatedly demanded that Afghan authorities act against militant groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army, which it says operate from Afghan territory. India has condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes inside Afghanistan, citing civilian casualties during Ramadan and reiterating support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.