Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have claimed that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in the eastern city of Jalalabad and that the pilot was captured alive, according to reports cited by AFP.
Taliban police spokesperson Tayeb Hammad said the aircraft was brought down in Jalalabad’s sixth district. Military spokesperson Wahidullah Mohammadi also confirmed the claim, stating that Afghan forces downed the jet and detained the pilot after he parachuted from the aircraft.
Residents reportedly told AFP that they saw a man descend by parachute before being taken into custody.
Escalation After Cross-Border Strikes
The claim comes amid one of the most intense escalations between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent years.
On Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul and Kandahar. Kandahar is widely known as the base of Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Pakistani officials said 133 Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 injured in the strikes. The air operations followed what Afghan Taliban forces described as a retaliatory border offensive against earlier Pakistani actions.
In response, Taliban authorities claimed they carried out cross-border strikes that killed at least 55 Pakistani soldiers.
“Open War” Declaration
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the country was now in an “open war” situation with Afghanistan, underscoring the severity of the confrontation.
There has been no independent confirmation from Pakistan regarding the reported downing of the fighter jet or the capture of the pilot. Islamabad has not officially acknowledged the incident at the time of reporting.
Regional Security Concerns
The sharp escalation between the two neighbours raises fears of prolonged military confrontation along the volatile border. The Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier has witnessed periodic clashes in recent years, but the current exchange of air and cross-border strikes marks a significant intensification.
Observers warn that continued escalation could destabilise the wider region, disrupt trade routes and deepen humanitarian challenges on both sides of the border.
As both governments exchange claims of heavy casualties, independent verification remains limited. Further official statements are awaited from Islamabad regarding the Taliban’s claim of downing the aircraft.
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