Five days after the Pakistani military conducted airstrikes on areas in Afghanistan's Helmand and Kunar provinces, the Taliban government has not taken any overt military action against Islamabad, despite promising a "calculated response." In the initial hours after the attacks, Taliban officials had spoken of "revenge."
According to a United Nations report, the strikes killed at least 10 civilians, most of them children, and injured nine others. In contrast, the Pakistani military claimed it targeted hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), killing 22 militants—a claim vehemently denied by the Taliban.
In response, the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan's chargé d'affaires in Kabul to lodge a strong protest against what it called "aggression and a violation of Afghanistan's airspace." Taliban spokesmen had described the attacks as a each of national sovereignty and insisted on a definitive response.
This is not the first time Pakistan has carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory. On September 24, areas in Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces were also targeted. The strikes in Kandahar were particularly significant as the province is the Taliban's main power base and the residence of the group's supreme leader.
The Taliban's current military silence has raised questions about whether the group has the capacity for a direct military response against Pakistan. Jawad Bardia, a security analyst, told Afghanistan International that the vast difference in military capabilities between the two sides is a key reason for the Taliban's restraint.
According to Bardia, while Taliban forces are experienced in guerrilla warfare, they are now a governing body facing a classic, well-equipped army. Engaging in a direct conflict with a military that possesses significant air power could be extremely costly for the Taliban. Bardia believes any hasty military action could provoke more extensive attacks from Pakistan.
Source: Afghanistan International
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