• Source:JND

Pakistan-Afghanistan War: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated after midnight as Islamabad launched "Operation Ghazab lil-Haq" against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, following reports of strikes by Afghan forces along the Durand Line, the 2,600-km frontier between both nations. Afghanistan capital Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia were among the targets where Pakistani forces launched air and ground strikes, killing many Afghan soldiers and damaging several structures.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif called the conflict an "open war", saying, "Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan)." Both sides have reported heavy losses, issuing sharply differing casualties.

The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed that its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and seized 19 military outposts. Pakistan government spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, claimed 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded, with 27 posts destroyed and nine captured. He further described Pakistan's Operation Ghazab Lil-Haq as a response to the "unprovoked Afghan attacks".

 

What Led To The Escalation? What is Operation Ghazab Lil-Haq?

The offensive began after Pakistan late Thursday evening alleged that the Afghan Taliban had opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur. In retaliation, Pakistan Air Force destroyed an ammunition depot in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

Pakistani state media shared visuals of airstrikes targeting an Afghan Taliban brigade headquarters and an ammunition depot in Kandahar, highlighting the scale of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. According to PTV News, citing security sources, Afghan Taliban fighters were "forced to flee" their posts.

 

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Pakistan President, Asif Ali Zardari, wrote on X that Islamabad will not compromise on peace and territorial integrity. "Our armed forces' response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response — and no one will be beyond reach," Zardari said.

The situation, at present, remains highly volatile, with both Kabul and Islamabad making contradictory claims regarding battlefield losses and control of border positions. While the Taliban accuses Pakistan of overreacting to longstanding border disputes, Islamabad maintains that it is defending its territorial integrity against repeated threats originating from Afghan soil.

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Tension has been high between the two neighbours for months, with deadly border clashes in October last year killing dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. A Qatari-mediated ceasefire between the two countries has largely held, but the two sides have still occasionally traded fire across the border.


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