‘Open war’ declared: Pakistan–Afghanistan border conflict escalates after deadly strikes
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration claimed that at least 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed during retaliatory operations after Pakistan allegedly carried out air raids in Kabul and other cities
PTC Web Desk: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply intensified, with Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declaring that the situation has entered an “open war” phase following a night of heavy cross-border strikes and conflicting battlefield claims from both sides.
Speaking in strong terms on Friday, Asif said Islamabad’s restraint had reached its limit. His remarks came after reports of airstrikes and ground clashes along the volatile frontier, marking one of the most serious military confrontations between the two neighbours in recent years.
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration claimed that at least 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed during retaliatory operations after Pakistan allegedly carried out air raids in Kabul and other cities. Taliban officials stated that their forces responded with coordinated counterattacks across multiple sectors near the disputed Durand Line, particularly in areas adjoining Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan.
In a detailed statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defense said the clashes began late Thursday evening after what it described as a violation of Afghan territory by Pakistani forces that resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children. The ministry asserted that Afghan fighters captured two Pakistani military bases and several border posts during a four-hour operation before halting the offensive around midnight.
Taliban authorities acknowledged casualties on their side as well, reporting that eight fighters were killed and 11 injured. They also alleged that 13 Afghan civilians were wounded in a missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar province.
Islamabad, however, strongly rejected the Taliban’s casualty figures. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said only two Pakistani soldiers had been killed and three wounded. He claimed that Pakistani forces had inflicted heavy losses on Afghan fighters, putting the Taliban death toll at 36. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denied assertions that any Pakistani personnel had been captured.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting accused Taliban forces of initiating “unprovoked fire” at multiple points along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the ministry, Pakistani security forces responded swiftly and decisively in sectors, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur. Officials said several Taliban posts and equipment were destroyed in the exchange.
President Asif Ali Zardari also weighed in, stressing that Pakistan would not compromise on its sovereignty or territorial integrity. He warned that any miscalculation by the Afghan side would invite a firm response.
Local media in Afghanistan reported hearing explosions and aircraft activity over Kabul in the early hours of Friday. There were also unverified claims that Afghan air defence units had shot down a Pakistani aircraft, though no confirmation has emerged from independent sources or Pakistani authorities.
Clashes extended to the strategically important Torkham border crossing, a key transit point between the two countries. Afghan officials began evacuating refugees from a nearby camp after several people were reportedly injured. On the Pakistani side, residents in border villages moved to safer areas amid reports of mortar shells landing near civilian settlements. Police said there were no confirmed civilian deaths on their side.
The violence underscores the fragility of the situation along the 2,611-km Durand Line, a boundary that Afghanistan has historically refused to formally recognise. Relations between the two countries have remained tense for months, punctuated by periodic skirmishes and accusations of cross-border militancy.
Although a Qatari-mediated ceasefire earlier helped reduce hostilities, sporadic firing has continued. The latest escalation now threatens to unravel any remaining diplomatic space, as both sides trade accusations and sharply differing casualty claims that remain impossible to independently verify.
With rhetoric hardening and military activity spreading across multiple sectors, the prospect of further escalation cannot be ruled out.