Pakistan on Friday declared what it described as an “open war” against Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities following a sharp escalation in cross-border fighting that has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. The announcement came as reports of explosions and heavy gunfire emerged from Kabul and Kandahar, underscoring the deteriorating security situation along the frontier.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad’s patience had been exhausted after months of mounting tensions. In a statement posted on X, he said that after the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan had expected the Taliban leadership to focus on peace, regional stability and the well-being of the Afghan people. Instead, he alleged that Afghanistan had become destabilised and accused its authorities of failing to prevent aggression against Pakistan. He also criticised the Taliban government over human rights concerns, including restrictions affecting women, and said diplomatic efforts to normalise relations had not succeeded. “Now it is open war between us and you,” he stated, signalling a major escalation in rhetoric.
Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described Pakistan’s latest military action as a “befitting response” to what he called Afghan aggression. His remarks followed claims by Taliban officials that their forces had carried out retaliatory operations against Pakistani troop positions after alleged air strikes. According to statements from the Taliban administration, Afghan forces launched wide-ranging operations targeting Pakistani military bases in the directions of Kandahar and Helmand, asserting that the action was in response to repeated violations by the Pakistani military. Afghan officials claimed casualties among Pakistani soldiers and said the clashes were triggered by earlier strikes that reportedly caused civilian casualties.
Pakistan’s information ministry, meanwhile, said Afghan Taliban forces had opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, prompting what it described as an immediate and effective counter-response. Islamabad had previously vowed swift retaliation after Afghan fighters were reported to have attacked its forces along the border.
The latest confrontation follows months of worsening Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict marked by tit-for-tat attacks, air strikes and persistent border tensions. Recent strikes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces reportedly killed at least 13 civilians, according to the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, though Pakistani officials said the operations targeted militant groups. Border crossings have largely remained closed since deadly clashes in October left more than 70 people dead on both sides, disrupting trade and civilian movement.
Diplomatic efforts, including mediation attempts by regional actors, have so far failed to ease tensions. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of allowing militant groups to operate from Afghan soil, a charge the Afghan Taliban denies. As cross-border fighting intensifies and both sides exchange accusations, concerns are growing that continued hostilities could further destabilise an already fragile region.
