Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has declared “open war” against the Afghan Taliban government in a strongly worded post on X on Friday morning.
Khawaja wrote, “Pakistan made every effort to keep the situation normal through direct means and through friendly countries. It engaged in full-fledged diplomacy. Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you.”
The statement came hours after Pakistani airstrikes targeted parts of Afghanistan, which Islamabad described as retaliation for attacks on its troops.
Airstrikes and Immediate Retaliation
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reported on X that Pakistani military aircraft struck areas in Kabul, southern Kandahar, and eastern Paktia Province early Friday.
He stated that no civilian casualties were recorded from the airstrikes.
In response, Afghan forces launched what the spokesperson described as extensive retaliatory operations against Pakistani military positions in Kandahar and Helmand provinces.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense later issued a statement claiming its troops killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and seized dozens of pieces of Pakistani military equipment during the clashes.
The ministry added that Afghan losses stood at eight security personnel killed and 11 others wounded, and confirmed that military actions along the border had now concluded.
Pakistan’s Account of the Operation
A Pakistani security source told Xinhua that the airstrikes followed Taliban attacks on Pakistani border posts starting Thursday evening.
The source said Pakistan targeted key Taliban defense assets in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia under Operation Ghazab Lil Haq (Wrath of Justice).
Separately, Prime Minister’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi stated that Pakistani forces killed 72 Afghan militants, injured more than 120, destroyed 16 posts, and captured seven others in the retaliatory actions.
These developments represent the most serious escalation between the two neighbours in recent months.
The clashes threaten the fragile calm along their 2,600-kilometre (1,615-mile) shared border and highlight the ongoing dispute over Pakistan’s accusation that Kabul shelters militants responsible for stepped-up attacks inside Pakistan—an allegation the Taliban consistently deny.
International Concern
The cross-border violence has drawn attention from the United Nations.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is closely following the situation with concern, according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Dujarric said the Secretary-General urges both sides to fulfil their obligations under international law and to prioritise the protection of civilians.
He also commended recent mediation efforts by several member states and called on the parties to pursue diplomacy to resolve their differences.
