Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions: Pakistan has formally declared an “open war” against the Afghan Taliban government following intense cross-border clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier. The latest escalation unfolded after Pakistan launched airstrikes in Kabul and Kandahar on Friday, just hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops, an action the Taliban administration described as retaliation for earlier deadly air raids.

“Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif wrote on X.

On Thursday, the Taliban-led government claimed its forces had seized 19 Pakistani military outposts and killed 55 Pakistani soldiers during a large-scale border offensive. It said the operation was in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory along the Durand Line. As fighting intensified, both sides reported significant casualties.

Residents in Kabul reported hearing at least three explosions, though authorities did not immediately confirm the exact locations or whether there were casualties. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan also conducted airstrikes in Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktia.

In a post on X, Mujahid said, “The cowardly Pakistani military has carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia; fortunately, there have been no reported casualties.”

An Afghan official told AFP that several civilians were injured near the Torkham border crossing at a camp housing returnees from Pakistan. “A mortar shell has hit the camp, and unfortunately seven of our refugees have been wounded, and the condition of one woman is serious,” said Qureshi Badlun, information chief of Nangarhar province.

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Afghan Forces Claim Major Gains

Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence said the offensive began at 8:00 PM on the 9th of Ramadan (February 26), describing it as retaliation for what it called a breach of Afghan sovereignty by Pakistani forces days earlier.

“A few days ago, the Pakistani military circles, with great audacity, violated Afghan territory, breached our borders, and martyred women and children here,” the ministry stated.

According to the statement, Afghan forces targeted Pakistani military positions in eastern and southeastern areas along the Durand Line, near Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces.

“In these retaliatory operations along the Durand Line, a total of 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, two bases and 19 posts were captured,” the statement said.

The ministry added that the four-hour operation destroyed two Pakistani military bases and 19 outposts, while troops reportedly fled four additional positions. It also claimed that an enemy tank was destroyed and a large military transport vehicle was captured.

Afghan authorities said dozens of light and heavy weapons, ammunition, and other supplies were seized. They reported eight Afghan fighters killed and 11 injured during the clashes. Additionally, the ministry alleged that 13 civilians were wounded in a missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.

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Pakistan Launches ‘Operation Ghazab Lil Haq’

In response, Pakistan initiated ‘Operation Ghazab Lil Haq’ targeting the Afghan Taliban government, according to ARY News. Two corps headquarters, three brigade headquarters, two ammunition depots, one logistics base, three battalion headquarters, two sector headquarters, and more than 80 tanks, artillery guns and armoured personnel vehicles has been destroyed.

The Associated Press reported that Pakistan’s military carried out airstrikes on what it described as Afghan military facilities in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces, claiming two brigade bases were destroyed, though it did not provide details on casualties.

Islamabad, which previously described Sunday’s airstrikes as targeting militants operating in the region, labelled Thursday’s Afghan assault as unprovoked and rejected claims that its border posts had been captured.

“Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia (province) and Kandahar,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X, as the government launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq over what it termed “unprovoked firing” from across the border.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the Afghan Taliban for allegedly targeting civilians. In a statement posted on X, he said Pakistan’s armed forces had responded decisively to what he described as open aggression.

“The cowardly enemy struck in the darkness of night. The Afghan Taliban made a despicable attempt to target innocent civilians,” he said.

“The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces. The Afghan Taliban made a terrible mistake by attacking. They will have to face serious consequences. We will not allow our security to be compromised,” he added.

The prime minister's spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, stated that 133 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 200 injured. He also claimed that 27 Taliban posts were destroyed and nine captured, as reported by Geo News. Pakistani security forces carried out retaliatory actions across several border districts, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur, dismantling multiple Afghan Taliban positions, ARY News reported.