Monitoring Report: Al-Qaeda Condemns Pakistani Airstrikes in Kabul After Heavy Losses

AQS (Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent) issued a formal statement condemning Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul, asserting that the strikes followed heavy losses among its fighters in a recent operation. The group claimed that Pakistani aircraft carried out the strikes on the night of March 16–17, 2026, in Afghanistan's capital and repeated propaganda language similar to that of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), alleging that the strikes targeted a rehabilitation facility and caused heavy casualties, including hundreds killed and injured. The report also notes that a large number of Al-Qaeda militants were killed in the strike, indicating significant setbacks for the group. Observers describe a sense of shock and frustration within militant circles, evidenced by back-to-back propaganda statements and internal disagreements over record and strategy.