Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared the nation is in “open war” with Afghanistan following a significant escalation of cross-border hostilities. The announcement came after Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes on multiple Afghan cities, including Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktika, in the early hours of Friday.
The military action represents a dramatic deterioration of relations between the neighboring countries, despite a previously negotiated ceasefire agreement in October. The current violence erupted after Afghan Taliban forces launched what they described as a “retaliatory operation” against Pakistani military positions near the border on Thursday evening.
Pakistan’s military command stated that Taliban forces “miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations” across the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Islamabad characterized its aerial bombardment as an “immediate and effective response” to these provocations.
In a rapidly developing situation, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid initially claimed—via a since-deleted social media post—that Taliban forces had conducted counter-strikes against Pakistani military positions using drone technology. Pakistani authorities reported successfully intercepting these attempted drone incursions targeting several strategic locations, including Abbottabad, home to Pakistan’s prestigious military academy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphatically stated that Pakistani forces possess “the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions” and vowed “no compromise” in defending the nation’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns emerged as Taliban officials alleged Pakistani rockets struck a refugee camp in Nangarhar province, injuring at least nine Afghan citizens recently displaced from Pakistan. These claims remain unverified by independent sources.
The 2,600-kilometer mountainous border region remains on high alert as residents report temporary calm following the initial exchanges. The conflict stems from longstanding accusations by Pakistan that Afghanistan’s Taliban government provides support to “anti-Pakistan terrorists” responsible for recent suicide attacks within Pakistani territory.