Kabul, Feb 28: The Afghan Taliban has claimed it shot down a Pakistani military jet near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, asserting that the aircraft was intercepted inside Afghan airspace and that the pilot was captured alive.
Reports from Taliban‑linked sources say the jet was downed during a cross‑border operation, with the pilot taken into custody and medical attention confirmed. Pakistani authorities have not yet issued an official confirmation but are verifying the incident, even as defence spokespersons warn of “serious consequences” if the claim is substantiated.
The episode comes amid sharply deteriorating ties between Pakistan and the Taliban‑ruled Afghanistan, with both sides accusing each other of launching attacks across the border. Islamabad has conducted recent airstrikes inside Afghanistan, while Taliban officials have repeatedly warned of retaliation against any incursions.
World capitals are closely monitoring the situation, with fears that the downing of a Pakistani jet and the capture of its pilot could escalate the already volatile border conflict into a wider regional crisis.
