Afghanistan Strikes ISIS Hideouts In Pakistan: Did Russian Drones Play A Role?
Afghanistan Strikes ISIS Hideouts In Pakistan: Did Russian Drones Play A Role? Reported By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 15:29 IST Kabul says its air
Afghanistan Strikes ISIS Hideouts In Pakistan: Did Russian Drones Play A Role? Reported By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 15:29 IST Kabul says its air force targeted ISIS bases in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, weeks after its defence minister returned from Moscow with a military cooperation agreement. Rapid Read An armed Taliban security member stands guard near the closed gate of the zero point border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan at Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province on October 12, 2025. File image Afghanistan’s Taliban government has claimed that its air force carried out cross-border strikes against alleged ISIS hideouts inside Pakistan, marking a potentially significant escalation between Kabul and Islamabad. The Afghan Ministry of Defence said the operation targeted what it described as “centres of evil and corruption" belonging to Daesh in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. According to the ministry, attacks against Afghanistan were being planned from these locations with the assistance of unnamed “malevolent intelligence agencies". The statement is significant because Kabul has carefully framed the operation as a counterterrorism strike rather than an attack on Pakistan. The Taliban’s message was clear: its stated target was ISIS infrastructure allegedly operating from Pakistani soil, not the Pakistani state. However, the timing of the operation has raised questions over whether Afghanistan used Russian drones, weapons or other military assistance in the strikes. Did Russian Drones Play A Role?
The possibility of Russian involvement has emerged weeks after Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid travelled to Moscow and announced a military-technical cooperation agreement with Russia. After returning to Kabul on May 30, Yaqoob described the visit as successful and said implementation of the agreement would begin shortly. According to intelligence reports, Afghanistan acquired Russian weaponry, air-defence rockets, drones and other security assistance from Moscow. Yaqoob also issued a warning directed at Pakistan, saying Islamabad would soon no longer dare attack Afghan territory. The remarks came amid repeated Pakistani attacks inside Afghanistan. Islamabad has maintained that its operations target sanctuaries used by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, to plan attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has rejected accusations that it shelters the group and has repeatedly accused Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty. The understanding between Moscow and Kabul has been presented as a military-technical cooperation agreement. According to reports, it includes cooperation over weapons maintenance and other security requirements. Intelligence reports, however, suggest that the assistance may have extended beyond maintenance and could include drones, air-defence systems and rockets. That claim assumes greater significance in light of the latest cross-border operation. Why Kabul Says It Targeted ISIS, Not Pakistan The wording of the Afghan statement appears deliberate. Rather than describing the operation as retaliation against Islamabad, the Taliban said it targeted Daesh facilities from where attacks on Afghanistan were allegedly being planned.
The BriefWire