- Islamabad launches “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” targeting major Afghan cities after retaliatory attacks by Taliban forces on Pakistani border troops.
- Pakistan’s Defense Minister declares an “all-out confrontation,” stating that “patience has reached its limit” regarding cross-border militancy.
- Differing casualty figures reported by both sides; Afghanistan claims 55 Pakistani soldiers killed, while Pakistan claims to have eliminated 133 Afghan fighters.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated to a critical breaking point, with Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declaring that the two neighboring countries are now in a state of “open war.”
The declaration follows intense, overnight airstrikes launched by the Pakistan Air Force against major urban centers in Afghanistan, including the capital, Kabul, and the southern Taliban stronghold of Kandahar.
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The military operation, termed “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” (Wrath for the Truth), was initiated in response to what Islamabad described as unprovoked firing by Afghan forces on Pakistani border troops along the disputed Durand Line on Thursday night.
The escalation marks the most significant breakdown in relations since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Pakistani officials have long accused the Taliban government of providing safe harbor to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a surge in deadly attacks within Pakistan.
“Our patience has reached its limit,” Defense Minister Asif posted on social media. “Now it is open war between us and you.”
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that the strikes targeted specific defense and military infrastructure in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar provinces.
Conversely, the Taliban government has condemned the airstrikes as a “cowardly” violation of its territorial integrity.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strikes but initially claimed there were no casualties.
However, the Afghan Ministry of Defense subsequently announced that eight of its soldiers were killed in land offensive operations retaliation, while also claiming to have killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and captured several posts.
This figure was strongly disputed by Islamabad, which reported only two soldiers killed and three wounded.
An Afghan official in Nangarhar province reported that a mortar shell hit a camp for returnees near the Torkham border crossing, wounding seven refugees.
The international community is reacting with alarm to the deteriorating security situation. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilians, and resolve their differences through diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Iran has offered to mediate between the two nations to facilitate dialogue.
As the borders remain largely closed and the situation on the ground volatile, both Pakistan and Afghanistan have reinforced their military presence along the frontier, signaling that a return to stability is not imminent.
