Islamabad: Pakistan has formally escalated tensions with Afghanistan, declaring what it termed an “open war” against the Taliban-led government following intense and deadly cross-border clashes. The escalation came after Pakistani forces launched airstrikes in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia in the early hours of Friday under a military campaign named Operation Ghazab lil-Haq.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the offensive, stating that Islamabad’s patience had been exhausted after repeated attacks on its border posts. According to Pakistani officials, the airstrikes targeted Afghan Taliban military installations, including brigade and corps headquarters, ammunition depots and logistics bases.
Afghan authorities confirmed multiple explosions in Kabul, while Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft also struck Kandahar and Paktia. Kabul claimed its late-Thursday cross-border action was retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas.
Afghanistan’s defence ministry alleged that its forces captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts during the fighting, acknowledging that eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 wounded. Afghan officials also reported civilian casualties near the Torkham crossing, where a mortar shell reportedly struck a refugee camp, injuring at least seven civilians, including women.
Pakistan strongly rejected these claims. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar dismissed reports of captured posts as false and described the Afghan assault as unprovoked. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the Afghan Taliban of deliberately targeting civilians and warned of serious consequences for any further attacks.
Casualty figures released by both sides varied sharply. Afghanistan claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several captured, while Pakistan reported only two fatalities among its troops and denied any captures. Islamabad, in turn, said dozens of Afghan fighters were killed. The Prime Minister’s Office dismissed Afghan statements as misinformation.
Heavy exchanges of fire near Torkham led to evacuations on both sides of the border. Afghan authorities moved refugees away from camps close to the crossing, while Pakistani officials said villagers and stranded Afghan refugees were relocated to safer areas.
The renewed violence has triggered international concern. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both countries to protect civilians and resolve their differences through dialogue. Tensions between the neighbours have remained high for months, driven by Pakistan’s allegations that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan operates from Afghan soil—claims Kabul continues to deny.