Pakistan Bombs Afghan Cities Amid Rising Tensions
Pakistan has conducted airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul, with Islamabad’s defence minister declaring that the two countries are now in a state of “open war.”
Witnesses in Kabul and Kandahar reported explosions and aircraft activity continuing until dawn. The Taliban government later stated that Pakistani surveillance planes remained in Afghan airspace.
The attacks followed an assault by Afghan forces on Pakistani border troops on Thursday night, which itself came after earlier Pakistani airstrikes.
This operation marked Pakistan’s most extensive bombing of Kabul and its first airstrikes on Kandahar, the southern stronghold of the Taliban movement that returned to power in 2021.
Afghan officials in Nangarhar province reported ongoing fighting in the Torkham border area on Friday morning. The province’s information directorate said Pakistani mortar fire struck civilian areas, including a refugee camp. In retaliation, Afghan forces targeted Pakistani army posts across the border. Dozens of casualties were reported, with at least 12 fatalities.
Historical Context and Rising Border Clashes
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been elevated for months, with border clashes in October resulting in dozens of deaths among soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of harboring militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan and alleges an alliance with India, its regional rival.
A ceasefire mediated by Qatar ended fighting last year, but peace talks held in Istanbul in November failed to yield a formal agreement.
Recent Cross-Border Attacks and Airstrikes
On Thursday at approximately 8pm, Afghan forces launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan, citing retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border regions the previous Sunday. Hours later, Pakistan bombed Kabul and two other provinces on Friday.
At least three explosions were reported in Kabul, with conflicting claims from both sides regarding casualties and targeted sites.
A resident in Kabul’s Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, near Taliban headquarters, described hearing a large blast close to his home near Taliban administrative offices and ministries.
“The blast was followed by firing and we remained in the house under fear and did not go out. We just knew it was Pakistan’s airstrikes like … in October but we did not know if anyone was killed because no one was allowed to go the area and Taliban media said there was no casualties.”
The resident, speaking anonymously due to fear of Taliban reprisals, expressed widespread anxiety among Kabul’s population.
“It is clear even after the withdrawal of American forces, the war never ends in Afghanistan … We just need to live in peace. Sadly, the civilians always suffer anywhere, particularly in Afghanistan.”
Official Statements from Pakistan
Pakistan’s federal minister for information and broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, claimed the strikes on Friday in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar killed 133 Afghan Taliban officials and wounded over 200, with further casualties possible.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan’s armed forces could “crush” aggressors, while Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared “open war.”
In a post on X, the defence minister said Pakistan had hoped for peace after NATO’s withdrawal and expected the Taliban to prioritize Afghan welfare and regional stability. Instead, he accused the Taliban of gathering militants globally and exporting terrorism.
“Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,”
Islamabad frequently accuses Afghanistan of supporting militant violence within Pakistan, including backing the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups. Pakistan alleges the TTP operates from Afghan territory, a claim denied by both the TTP and Kabul.
Pakistan also accuses India of supporting the TTP and outlawed groups, allegations New Delhi denies.
Casualties and Damage Reported by Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s defence ministry reported that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in Thursday’s border clashes, with some bodies taken into Afghanistan, including several captured alive. Afghan casualties included eight soldiers killed and 11 wounded. The ministry also reported destruction of 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases.
Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s prime minister, denied any Pakistani soldiers had been captured.
Details of Border Clashes
The clashes began after 8pm on Thursday when Afghan Taliban forces attacked border posts in several districts of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The districts of Bajaur and Kurram, bordering Afghanistan, were most affected by Afghan Taliban mortar and gunfire. A resident of Bajaur reported mortar shells hitting Bara Lagharai village in the neighboring Mahmund district, killing at least two civilians and injuring six others.
“The village is on the border and mortar shells directly landed at people’s houses as the village remained at the mercy of Taliban firings. They were firing on security posts and the village is [very close to] Afghanistan.”
Bajaur’s deputy commissioner, Shahid Ali, confirmed the casualties and stated that five artillery rounds fired by the Afghan Taliban struck civilian homes.
Ongoing Tensions and Border Issues
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated significantly in recent months, with many land border crossings closed since deadly fighting in October that killed over 70 people on both sides.
Efforts to establish a lasting agreement have faltered, despite ceasefires brokered by Qatar and Turkey in October.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 1,640-mile (2,611 km) border known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognized.
