Afghanistan carried out air attack on important military bases of Pakistan, also targeted Noor Khan airbase

New Delhi: Amidst the increasing tension on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Defense Ministry of Afghanistan has claimed to carry out air strikes on major military bases of Pakistan, including the Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi. The ministry has described this action as retaliation for the air strikes carried out by Pakistan on Afghanistan.

“The Afghan Air Force has carried out effective air strikes on important military targets of Pakistan,” Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said in a post on Twitter. This includes the Noor Khan Air Base, the 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Balochistan, the Khoizai Camp in Mohmand Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other military sites across Pakistan that operate important military facilities and centres.

The post also said that “Afghan Defense Ministry’s Air Force again carried out effective air strikes on Pakistani military targets. These include Noor Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Khoizai Camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some other military targets of Pakistan. These strikes caused heavy damage to these targets.”

Interestingly, Rawalpindi’s Noor Khan airbase had also suffered major damage in May last year, when India carried out joint attacks on Pakistani military bases. The attacks were part of the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor, which was in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Satellite images taken on 13 May by Maxar Technologies showed damage to four airbases in Pakistan, including Noor Khan Airbase. These attacks were carried out targeting important military bases of Pakistan.

The Afghan Defense Ministry also said the operation was a retaliation to Pakistan’s air strikes on Kabul, Bagram and other areas “last night and today”. “According to preliminary information, these strikes have caused heavy damage to the mentioned targets. This operation was in response to airstrikes conducted by Pakistan targeting Kabul, Bagram and other areas,” the ministry said.

The ministry further warned that if Pakistan violates Afghanistan’s airspace or shows “lack of respect by rogue parties”, it will give a stern response.