KABUL: Pakistani airstrikes in Kandahar coincided with the reported departure of Taliban intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq for Doha, where he was expected to meet U.S. intelligence representatives, according to sources familiar with the developments.
The reported trip came as Pakistani fighter jets targeted locations in Kandahar that Islamabad described as linked to Taliban military and drone capabilities. Sources also said that the headquarters of security personnel responsible for protecting Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was among the locations targeted.
The timing of Wasiq’s departure has drawn attention to the Taliban’s parallel security and diplomatic engagements. However, the available information does not establish whether the Doha trip was directly connected to the Pakistani strikes or whether the two developments were coordinated.
Wasiq, who heads the Taliban intelligence apparatus, has previously been involved in security-related contacts with foreign governments. Any meeting with U.S. representatives in Doha would come amid broader international efforts to address terrorism, regional security and Afghanistan’s future relations with other states.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns about militant groups operating from Afghan territory and has linked its military operations to what it describes as cross-border security threats. Taliban authorities have rejected accusations that Afghanistan is being used to facilitate attacks against Pakistan and have disputed Islamabad’s accounts of military operations and casualties.
The latest developments highlight the complex security and diplomatic environment surrounding Afghanistan, where military confrontations, regional concerns and international contacts are unfolding simultaneously.