Pakistan launches airstrikes on Afghanistan, declares ‘open war’ following months of clashes

Pakistan launched airstrikes on major cities within Afghanistan, including the Afghan capital Kabul and its southern power base of the Taliban authorities, in a move that escalated tensions between the two countries to an “all-out confrontation” with the Taliban government. The strikes came after months of tit-for-tat clashes following attacks by Afghan forces against Pakistani border troops.

This latest military operation followed multiple rounds of negotiations brokered by Qatar and Turkey, which failed to produce a lasting agreement. Relations have deteriorated since deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides, leading to the closure of land border crossings.

The Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on social media that Afghan Taliban defense targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia Province, and Kandahar. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared an “open war” with the Taliban government, citing their failure to act against militant groups active in Pakistan.

The Pakistani military claimed to have killed dozens of soldiers during this latest round of border violence, which followed multiple strikes on Afghanistan and clashes along the frontier in recent months. In response, the Afghan side confirmed that they had also suffered casualties, attributing them to repeated Pakistani violations at the border.

AFP journalists reported blasts and gunfire over several hours in Kabul following Pakistan’s airstrikes. In Kandahar, where Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is based, an AFP reporter heard jets overhead. An Afghan official informed that a mortar strike had injured multiple civilians near the Torkham border crossing, with seven people seriously wounded.

The military operation follows previous strikes by Pakistan on Nangarhar and Paktika provinces overnight into Sunday, which the UN mission in Afghanistan reported killed at least 13 civilians. Both sides reported cross-border fire incidents without any casualties but claimed that Pakistani forces had “caught alive” several Afghan soldiers, a claim denied by the Pakistani government.

This escalated conflict follows a series of deadly suicide bombings and attacks on both sides in recent months, including an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad which killed at least 40 people. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for a restaurant bombing in Kabul earlier this month.

Saudi Arabia stepped in this month to mediate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan, demonstrating regional involvement in the conflict’s resolution. Despite these efforts, the border remains largely closed due to ongoing violence and clashes between the two countries’ armed forces.