Pakistan has declared what it described as an “open war” against the Afghan Taliban following a sharp escalation in cross-border hostilities between the two countries.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the decision in a statement posted on social media platform X, stating that Islamabad’s patience had been exhausted after recent attacks along the frontier.
Border Clashes and Casualty Claims
The escalation followed reported overnight attacks on Thursday in which Afghan forces struck more than six locations in Pakistan’s border areas. Taliban authorities described the strikes as retaliation for an earlier Pakistani operation conducted near the border last Sunday.
Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others were taken into custody. These claims have not been independently verified.
Pakistan said it launched air operations early Friday targeting locations in Kabul, Paktika and Kandahar. According to Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the strikes were aimed at Taliban military infrastructure.
He stated that two corps headquarters, two weapons depots, one logistics warehouse, three battalion headquarters, two sector headquarters and more than 80 tanks were destroyed. Pakistan further claimed that 133 Taliban members were killed and 200 wounded. Independent confirmation of these figures has not been available.
Conflicting Reports and Civilian Impact
International media outlets reported differing casualty figures. CNN, citing Afghan officials, said eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 injured in the Pakistani strikes. It also cited Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry as reporting that 13 civilians were wounded in a refugee camp in Nangarhar province.
Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistani forces bombed several areas in Kabul, Paktika and Kandahar.
Residents in Kabul reported hearing powerful explosions early Friday. Witnesses said fighter jets were heard around 1:50 a.m., followed by blasts. Gunfire was reportedly audible in central Kabul until approximately 2:30 a.m.
Rising Tensions Despite Ceasefire
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified in recent months despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025. Last week, Taliban officials said at least 18 people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Pakistan said those strikes targeted seven alleged militant camps near the border.
Both sides have accused each other of initiating the latest violence.
