Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply escalated after Islamabad declared what it called an “open war” against the Afghan Taliban government following fresh clashes along their shared border. The conflict intensified on Friday when Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes targeting locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, hours after Afghan forces reportedly attacked Pakistani border troops.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the escalation on social media, saying the country’s patience had run out and that a military operation named “Ghazab Lil Haq” had been launched against Afghan forces. The announcement came amid rapidly rising hostilities that have shaken the fragile ceasefire mediated earlier by Qatar.
Afghanistan said the strikes triggered several explosions in Kabul, though authorities have not yet confirmed the exact targets or casualties in the capital. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistani warplanes also struck areas in Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktia.
The Afghan government said its forces had earlier launched cross-border attacks late Thursday in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border regions earlier in the week. Afghan officials claimed their troops captured several Pakistani military posts during the offensive and reported that eight Afghan soldiers were killed in the fighting.
Casualty figures from both sides differ sharply. Afghan authorities claimed that at least 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed during the clashes and that several others were captured. Pakistan strongly denied these claims. Pakistani officials said only two of their soldiers were killed and three were wounded, while dozens of Afghan fighters were eliminated.
Later statements from Pakistani officials suggested much higher Afghan losses. Government spokespersons claimed that up to 133 Afghan fighters had been killed and more than 200 injured during Pakistani retaliatory strikes and border fighting. They also said several Afghan military installations were destroyed in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia.
The violence has also affected civilians near the border. Afghan officials said a mortar shell hit a refugee camp near the Torkham crossing, injuring several people, including women and children. Authorities began evacuating civilians from the area as fighting intensified.
Pakistan has accused militant groups based in Afghanistan of carrying out attacks inside its territory, particularly the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul has repeatedly denied allowing militants to operate from its soil.
Border tensions between the two countries have been rising for months, with deadly clashes reported since October. Despite several rounds of talks and a temporary ceasefire, sporadic cross-border firing has continued.
With both sides exchanging heavy accusations and military strikes, fears are growing that the conflict could spiral into a wider regional crisis unless urgent diplomatic efforts succeed in calming the situation.
