Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted into a dangerous new phase after intense fighting along the countries’ border, with Islamabad now declaring the conflict an “open war.”
Heavy exchanges of fire between Pakistani forces and the Afghan Taliban took place Thursday along the volatile frontier, escalating an already fragile security situation between the two neighbors.
The clashes came after days of mounting hostilities and competing claims from both sides about who initiated the latest violence.
Defense Minister Issues Stark Warning
Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, delivered a blunt message after the confrontation intensified.
“Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,” Khawaja Mohammad Asif said.
The statement came in a post on X, where Asif sharply criticized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Pakistan had initially hoped the Taliban’s return to power would bring stability after NATO forces withdrew from the region.
Instead, Asif accused the Taliban leadership of pushing Afghanistan in a troubling direction and allowing extremist activity to flourish.
Border Violence Erupts After Taliban Strikes
The flare-up began after the Taliban claimed responsibility for retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions.
According to Taliban officials, the attacks were a response to Pakistani airstrikes earlier in the week that targeted locations inside Afghanistan.
Those strikes reportedly killed at least 18 people, according to Taliban officials cited in reports.
Pakistan, however, strongly rejected allegations that civilians were targeted. Officials insisted the strikes were aimed solely at militant hideouts believed to be operating from Afghan territory.
Meanwhile, fighting quickly escalated along the rugged border region.
Reports indicated that the two sides exchanged fire for more than two hours across the nearly 2,600-kilometer frontier separating the two countries. The clashes threatened a ceasefire agreement that had been reached in 2025 after earlier rounds of violence.
Taliban Claims Large-Scale Military Response
The Taliban said its response was swift and expansive.
“In response to repeated provocations, extensive preemptive operations have been launched against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X.
In a separate statement, he said “specialized laser units” were operating at night.
Taliban military spokesman Mawlawi Wahidullah Mohammadi also said in a video shared with Reuters that the “retaliatory operation” began Thursday evening.
Mujahid further claimed Taliban fighters inflicted significant damage on Pakistani forces during the fighting.
He said “numerous” Pakistani soldiers had been killed and some were also captured. However, those claims could not be independently verified.
Taliban Accuses Pakistan Of Bombing Afghan Cities
As the conflict intensified, Taliban officials also accused Pakistan of expanding the scope of its attacks.
In another post on X, Mujahid said, “The cowardly Pakistani army has bombed some places in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. Praise be to God, no one was harmed.”
Pakistan has rejected those claims.
Islamabad Says Taliban Fired First
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the Taliban initiated the violence along the frontier.
According to the ministry, the Afghanistan Taliban’s “unprovoked action along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border” was given an “immediate and effective response.”
Officials said Taliban forces had “miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations” along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The statement added that Pakistani forces quickly retaliated.
The ministry said the fire was being met with an “immediate and effective response by Pakistan’s security forces.”
Officials also claimed Taliban positions suffered heavy losses during the exchange.
“Early reports confirm heavy casualties on the Afghan side with multiple posts and equipment destroyed,” the ministry said.
“Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens.”
Casualties Reported As Conflict Deepens
Security sources inside Pakistan told Reuters that at least 22 Taliban personnel had been killed in the fighting. Several quadcopters used by the militants were also reportedly shot down.
The Taliban has not confirmed those figures.
The renewed violence comes amid long-standing accusations by Pakistan that Afghanistan is harboring militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
Islamabad has repeatedly blamed the group for a surge in terrorist attacks and suicide bombings inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has denied those accusations.
Just one day before the latest strikes, Pakistani officials said they possessed “irrefutable evidence” that militants were launching attacks from Afghan territory.
With both sides trading accusations and military strikes, analysts warn the border conflict could spiral into a prolonged regional crisis.
