New Delhi: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated dramatically after Islamabad declared what it described as an “open war” following renewed fighting along the shared frontier. The escalation came after Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes targeting locations in Kabul, Kandahar, and parts of eastern Afghanistan, hours after Afghan forces launched cross border attacks on Pakistani positions.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the start of a military campaign named Operation Ghazab lil Haq, stating that Islamabad would no longer exercise restraint. Pakistani officials claimed their strikes hit Taliban military installations and resulted in heavy losses for Afghan forces, asserting that more than 130 Afghan fighters were killed and dozens of posts destroyed.
The Afghan Taliban government rejected Pakistan’s account and offered sharply different figures. Afghan authorities said their forces acted in retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes on border areas and claimed significant Pakistani casualties, including soldiers killed and posts overrun. Kabul also reported civilian injuries near the Torkham crossing, where a refugee camp was struck during the exchanges, prompting evacuations on both sides of the border.
Explosions were reported in Kabul, though details about exact targets and casualties remained unclear. Afghan officials said strikes also hit Kandahar and Paktia province, while Pakistan maintained that only military objectives were targeted. Islamabad accused the Afghan Taliban of unprovoked aggression and of endangering civilians, vowing to respond decisively to any further attacks.
The conflicting claims highlighted a deep information divide, with both sides disputing casualty figures and battlefield outcomes. Pakistan’s leadership, including aides to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied reports that Pakistani soldiers had been captured and reiterated that Pakistan would safeguard its territorial integrity.
The latest violence has further undermined a fragile ceasefire mediated earlier by Qatar and raised fears of a wider confrontation. Border crossings remained largely shut, refugee movements were disrupted, and residents in frontier areas were forced to seek safety as artillery and air power were deployed.
The escalation marks one of the most serious flare ups in recent months, deepening an already volatile relationship shaped by accusations over militancy, sovereignty violations, and civilian harm.
