Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan sharply escalated after Pakistani forces carried out overnight air and ground strikes on targets linked to the Taliban administration in several major Afghan cities, officials from both sides confirmed on Friday. Pakistan’s defence minister described the situation as nothing short of an “open war,” signalling one of the most serious confrontations between the two neighbours in years.
According to Pakistani security sources, the operation involved air-to-ground missile attacks on military installations and command posts in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, alongside intense exchanges of fire along multiple points of the shared border. In response, the Taliban said it launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions.
Each side reported significant casualties and damage, though the figures could not be independently verified. Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, said Islamabad’s patience had run out, accusing Afghanistan of tolerating cross-border militancy — a charge the Taliban have repeatedly denied.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged that Pakistani aircraft struck locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, without providing operational details. Kandahar, widely regarded as the Taliban’s power centre, is home to the movement’s top leadership, including supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.
Footage circulated by Pakistani officials appeared to show artillery fire and flashes along the frontier, while videos from Kabul showed large fires and thick smoke rising from multiple sites. Residents in the Afghan capital reported hearing repeated explosions followed by the sound of ambulances moving through the city.
A Pakistani government spokesperson said the strikes were a response to what Islamabad called unprovoked attacks from across the border, claiming dozens of Taliban fighters were killed and several positions destroyed or captured. Taliban officials, however, issued their own account, alleging Pakistani troop losses and civilian injuries in eastern Afghanistan.
Military analysts note that while Pakistan has far superior conventional military capabilities, Taliban fighters have extensive experience in guerrilla warfare after decades of conflict, including battles against U.S.-led forces prior to returning to power in 2021.
The latest violence revives memories of clashes late last year that left dozens dead before talks, reportedly backed by regional mediators, helped cool tensions. On Friday, Saudi Arabia confirmed diplomatic contacts with Pakistan aimed at de-escalation, while Russia urged restraint and said it could consider mediation if requested by both sides.
Pakistan has remained on heightened alert since earlier strikes it said targeted militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State affiliates, inside Afghanistan. Kabul and the United Nations have previously said such operations caused civilian casualties, warnings that were again repeated as fears of wider instability grow.
With security tightened across Pakistan’s border regions and intelligence officials warning of possible urban attacks, the confrontation now threatens to spiral into a prolonged and unpredictable conflict in South Asia.
