Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified dramatically, with unverified reports suggesting that Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada may have been killed during Pakistani airstrikes aimed at Taliban-linked targets in Kabul.
The alleged development comes amid one of the gravest escalations along the Durand Line in recent years, marked by aerial bombardments, cross-border exchanges and rising casualties. Although the claims have circulated widely on social media, neither Islamabad nor Kabul has officially confirmed Akhundzada’s status, fuelling uncertainty across the region.
Speculation over the fate of Afghanistan’s Taliban Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, gained momentum after social media posts alleged he was killed in Pakistani air raids targeting Kabul and other locations. A post by OSINT Europe claimed that Akhundzada and several senior Taliban figures were killed when Pakistan’s air force struck what was described as Taliban headquarters.
The post read: “BREAKING: The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has reportedly been killed along with senior Taliban commanders after Pakistani airstrikes targeted headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan.”
Despite the viral nature of these assertions, there has been no official confirmation from authorities in either Afghanistan or Pakistan. Both governments have refrained from commenting specifically on the claim even as military tensions escalate.
The alleged strike comes at a time when hostilities between the two neighbours have spiralled into one of the most serious confrontations in recent memory, involving air operations, ground clashes, retaliatory attacks and urgent international appeals for restraint.
Hibatullah Akhundzada has led the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and headed the Taliban since 2016. Known for maintaining a low public profile, he seldom appears publicly and typically communicates directives through internal Taliban channels rather than through media engagements.
Following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces in 2021, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan under his leadership. While Akhundzada holds ultimate authority over both the political and military arms of the Taliban, daily administrative and operational matters are often overseen by deputies including Yaqoob and Sirajuddin Haqqani.
Given his reclusive nature, rumours regarding his health or possible death have surfaced on multiple occasions in the past, frequently without credible verification. That history has made it difficult to independently assess the latest reports.
The current round of Pakistani air operations follows escalating violence along the Durand Line, the long-disputed border separating the two countries. Islamabad maintains that the strikes were carried out against militant hideouts allegedly used to launch attacks against Pakistani security forces from Afghan soil.
Pakistani officials say the air raids form part of a broader campaign titled Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. According to Islamabad, the targets included camps and facilities linked to groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP), organisations it accuses of using Afghanistan as a base for cross-border militancy.
Kabul has strongly condemned the operations, describing them as violations of Afghan sovereignty and alleging that civilian infrastructure, including homes and religious seminaries, was struck. United Nations observers have reported that at least 13 civilians were killed in the recent Pakistani air raids.
Although the claim regarding Akhundzada’s death has been widely shared, neither Afghan authorities nor Pakistani officials have issued any independent confirmation. Afghan spokespeople have not substantiated the allegation, and Islamabad has not stated that top Taliban leadership was targeted.
Analysts caution that, in the absence of verified information, such claims should be treated carefully. Previous instances of reported Taliban leadership deaths have later proven inaccurate, reinforcing the need for credible confirmation before drawing conclusions.
While Akhundzada’s fate remains uncertain, reports confirm that some senior Taliban officials were killed in the recent strikes. Among them was Mullah Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban’s acting Minister of Higher Education and a prominent figure within the movement.
A widely circulated post stated: “The Taliban’s acting Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, son-in-law of Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, was killed in Pakistani airstrikes amid the escalating Afghanistan–Pakistan border conflict.”
Nadeem, who had served in multiple senior roles under the Taliban administration, was killed on 26 February 2026 during intense Pakistani air operations targeting multiple Taliban-linked sites. His death highlights the growing impact of the cross-border conflict on high-ranking officials.
The latest hostilities reflect a deteriorating security situation along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Islamabad accuses militant groups operating from Afghan territory of orchestrating suicide bombings and attacks within Pakistan. Afghan officials reject these allegations, countering that Pakistan’s military actions breach international law and Afghan sovereignty.
Diplomatic observers warn that continued escalation risks undermining fragile stability in the region, disrupting civilian life and deepening an already volatile security crisis.
For now, amid a surge of unverified claims and mounting cross-border hostilities, the status of Hibatullah Akhundzada remains unclear, with the fog of conflict obscuring definitive answers.
(ITV Network)
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