Afghan Taliban shoots down Pakistani jet in Jalalabad, seize pilot alive

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan spiralled dramatically on Saturday after Afghan forces claimed to have shot down a Pakistani fighter jet over Jalalabad and captured its pilot alive.“A Pakistani fighter jet was shot down within the sixth district of Jalalabad metropolis, and its pilot was captured alive,” police spokesman Tayeb Hammad informed information company AFP.Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the navy in japanese Afghanistan, confirmed the Pakistani jet was downed by Afghan forces “and the pilot was captured alive”.Residents informed AFP they noticed the pilot eject and parachute down earlier than being detained. An AFP journalist reported listening to a jet roaring over Jalalabad moments earlier than two explosions rang out close to the town’s airport.In the meantime, Pakistan mentioned Afghanistan’s jet crash declare was “completely unfaithful”.The dramatic downing comes only a day after Pakistan carried out air strikes on Kabul and Kandahar, the latter being the bottom of Taliban Supreme Chief Hibatullah Akhundzada. The strikes had been a part of a quickly escalating tit-for-tat between the 2 neighbours.Based on the Taliban authorities, Afghan forces had launched a border offensive late Thursday in response to earlier Pakistani strikes on Afghan territory. Islamabad has not but commented publicly on the reported lack of its plane.With air energy now straight engaged and a captured pilot in Afghan custody, the confrontation marks one of the critical flare-ups between the 2 nations in latest reminiscence, elevating fears of additional escalation alongside the unstable border. Pakistan bombed main cities in Afghanistan, together with capital Kabul on Friday, with Islamabad’s defence minister declaring the neighbours at “open conflict” following months of tit-for-tat clashes.Pakistan claimed to have killed greater than 270 Taliban fighters and injured over 400 others in airstrikes whereas Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid mentioned its forces killed 55 Pakistani troopers and focused what he described as “vital navy aims” inside Pakistan.