Pakistan has launched airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including Kabul, in what officials described as an “open war” against Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government following months of escalating border clashes.
The strikes, carried out early Friday, targeted locations in Kabul as well as southern areas including Kandahar, a key stronghold of the Taliban authorities.
Residents and journalists reported hearing fighter jets and multiple explosions that continued until dawn.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said tensions between both countries had reached a breaking point, declaring an “all-out confrontation” after repeated cross-border violence.
The escalation follows renewed fighting along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, where Afghan forces allegedly attacked Pakistani troops a day earlier.
Islamabad has accused the Taliban administration of failing to curb activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a surge in attacks inside Pakistan allegations denied by Kabul.
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, said Afghan Taliban defence targets were struck in Kabul, Paktia province, and Kandahar during the operation.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government confirmed the airstrikes but said no casualties were recorded in Kabul.
However, Afghan officials reported that several civilians were wounded after a mortar shell hit a camp for returning refugees near the Torkham border crossing.
The latest violence marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the neighbouring countries, whose border crossings have largely remained closed since deadly clashes in October that reportedly killed more than 70 people on both sides.
Diplomatic mediation efforts led by Qatar, Turkey, and more recently Saudi Arabia had attempted to de-escalate tensions but failed to secure a lasting ceasefire.
Iran has now offered to facilitate dialogue between the two nations.
Both countries’ militaries claim to have inflicted heavy losses on each other in the recent fighting, raising fears of a wider regional conflict if hostilities continue.
