The fight to control the narrative in the Afghan-Pakistan conflict

3 hours agoCaroline DaviesPakistan correspondentAnadolu via Getty ImagesThe United Nations says it has verified more than 140 deaths so farMonday's air strike on Kabul resulted in the highest number of casualties seen since hostilities began again in February. Within hours of explosions ringing across the capital, both sides were posting on social media - a war of words as people searched for answers. "The Pakistani military regime has once again violated Afghanistan's airspace and targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, resulting in the death and injury of addicts who were undergoing treatment," posted Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government's spokesperson, who added he considers such an act to be "a crime against humanity".On an account called "Fact Checker MOIB", Pakistan's Ministry of Information responded, stamping "propaganda" across a picture of the Taliban spokesman's post."On night 16 March, Pakistan precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij (Pakistan's term used to refer to the Taliban" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="17628" data-entity-type="organization">Pakistani Taliban) in Kabul and Nangarhar that were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians," the post said."Post strike detonation of stored ammunition being used by Master Terror Proxy also fully contradicts the fake claim."XThe original, translated post from the Taliban's spokesman was later labelled "propaganda" by Pakistan's Ministry of InformationBy the morning, the Afghan Taliban officials claimed that the death toll in the strike was more than 400. The BBC could not independently verify this total but was told by sources that more than 100 had been killed. The United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan later said they verified 143 deaths and 119 injured at the centre, suggesting this number could increase as they continue the process.Despite media and UN reports that a drug rehabilitation facility had been impacted, Pakistan's military has not acknowledged civilian casualties. Instead, its military spokesman levied more accusations."The truth is they round up drug addicts and use them as suicide bombers," Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan's military's spokesman, said in an interview in the days following the strike. "If they had addicts there it was likely a training facility for bombers."He provided no evidence to support his claim. The BBC has previously reported from the rehabilitation centre - which has been operating from the former military site for a decade - speaking to addicts receiving care and treatment there in 2023.The week has been indicative of how this conflict has played out. Neither side is holding back militarily – air strikes from Pakistan, drones from the Taliban government – nor in their language.These posts and headlines can tell us something about the way both sides think about this conflict; from allies to enemies, now digging in, leaving little space for reconciliation.Why are they fighting?Both sides blame the other for initiating the conflict.Pakistan says this is about terrorism. Militant attacks inside Pakistan have claimed an increasing number of lives; 2025 was the most violent year in a decade for militancy, according to Islamabad-based think-tank the Centre for Research and Security Studies. Pakistan has long accused the Taliban government of harbouring militant groups inside its borders that carry out attacks on Pakistan and accused India of supporting militancy there.Both India and the Taliban government vehemently deny this, saying the militant attacks Pakistan has seen are an internal matter for Pakistan.That's done little but to further infuriate many in Pakistan's authorities. Often within hours of an attack, it is common to hear Pakistan ministers link it to Afghanistan, leading to furious rebuttals from the Taliban government. After years of diplomatic efforts, Pakistan now says that there is nothing to talk about.AFPPakistan blamed Afghan citizens for a suicide bombing targeting a military-linked school near the border, which left three people dead"Pakistan does not have a militancy problem," says Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistan's prime minister. "Pakistan does have an Afghan-Taliban regime problem. And Pakistan does have an India hegemony problem. We are going to solve each problem."He is clear there is no apology due for the action Pakistan has taken."I think that the era where you would find Pakistani analysts or Pakistani government representatives coming onto television and apologising for defending the people of Pakistan... that era is over. I think that the Western press in particular will need to get used to an assertive and crystal clear, transparent Pakistan."When the relationship between the two countries spilled into violent clashes on the border and with hits on Kabul and Kandahar in October, Pakistan's military did not openly claim responsibility for air strikes.That's changed. Now Pakistan's information minister posts videos of strikes on social media.The Taliban government have maintained the position that the Pakistan Taliban is a Pakistan-created problem. They frame this as about defending their sovereignty; that their actions are reactions to Pakistan.They've previously suggested that Pakistan is coordinating with other powers, including the US, to undermine their hold on the country."Certain military circles in Pakistan in cooperation with and at the request of major powers are trying to destabilise Afghanistan," Mujahid said in an interview in January streamed on YouTube. Pakistan has repeatedly rejected these accusations, saying that this is about making the Pakistani people safer by stopping terrorism.If attacks continue, Taliban officials have made clear that Pakistan can expect the same in return."They should not think they can martyr people in Kabul, destroy the city and disturb its security while remaining safe in Islamabad," Mullah Yaqoob, the Taliban's defence minister told Tolo News earlier this month, before Monday's attack. "Islamabad will be targeted just as they target Kabul."Three days before Monday's strike, the Taliban defence forces said that they had launched drones into Pakistan's capital; Pakistan said it had intercepted them, calling them "rudimentary". Pakistan's president said that this crossed a red line.In the aftermath of the strike on Monday, Zabiullah said that there would be a "severe response". In his Eid prayers, Taliban Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada did not mention Pakistan by name, but the focus of his comments was clear."If someone bombs us or fires rockets at us let them fire rockets, let them bomb, let them do whatever they want, by God nothing will change in us," he said. "They cannot destroy us with rockets and aircraft bombs."Both have said there will be a pause in operations over Eid al-Fitr, encouraged by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. Mediators may hope this pause offers space to find common ground and a longer lasting ceasefire, despite early accusations and denials of violations.But as both sides cement their positions, testing the boundaries with increasingly aggressive statements and attacks, that space is shrinking.