Residents of Kabul said drones were heard flying over the country’s capital early Thursday, accompanied by anti-aircraft fire near the city’s airport area, according to local sources who spoke to Amu TV.
The sounds of the drones were reportedly heard from about 2:30 a.m. until 4:20 a.m., sources said. Witnesses added that at least three rounds of anti-aircraft fire, along with scattered gunfire, were heard beginning around 3:30 a.m. and continued for nearly an hour.
According to residents, the drones appeared to leave the area after the firing began.
Taliban have not commented on the reported drone activity or the anti-aircraft fire.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, following months of cross-border clashes and airstrikes that started late February.
Pakistani military aircraft have previously carried out strikes in parts of Afghanistan, including in Kabul.
One of the deadliest incidents involved a rehabilitation facility known as the Omid Center in eastern Kabul.
A recent United Nations report said at least 269 civilians were killed and around 100 others wounded in a Pakistani strike on the center.
Pakistani officials have denied targeting civilian locations inside Afghanistan, saying their operations are aimed at “training, weapons and military facilities” allegedly used by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
UN findings, however, indicate that civilians were among the casualties in the strikes.
The latest UN report said that 372 civilians were killed and 397 wounded between Jan. 1 and March 31 during clashes and cross-border violence involving Taliban and Pakistani forces.
