Islamabad: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared an “open war" with Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the neighboring countries following airstrikes, cross-border attacks and months of worsening violence along their shared frontier.
Pakistan carried out airstrikes targeting Afghan cities, including Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, after a fresh round of clashes between the two sides. Announcing the shift in posture, Asif wrote on X, “Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you."
At least 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in cross-border fighting, India Today news outlet reported, quoting Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities. AFP reported that jets were heard over Kabul and Kandahar, with journalists on the ground hearing multiple loud explosions followed by gunfire lasting more than two hours.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defense, Afghan forces conducted coordinated counterattacks in eastern and southeastern sectors across the Durand Line near Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces.
The ministry claimed that during the four-hour battle, two Pakistani military bases and 19 posts were captured. Soldiers allegedly fled from four additional posts.
