Pakistan Declares ‘Open War’ on Taliban-Run Afghanistan After Deadly Border Clashes

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated sharply this week, with Islamabad announcing “open war” following renewed shelling and airstrikes along their rugged shared border.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister declared the country’s patience had “run out” as both nations exchanged deadly attacks in a conflict that pits Pakistan’s well-funded, nuclear-capable military against experienced Afghan Taliban fighters, who routed US and NATO forces in 2021 after years of insurgency.

Violence Escalates Along Porous Border

Late Thursday, Taliban forces launched attacks on Pakistani positions along sections of the 1,600-mile border spanning mountains and desert terrain. Afghan authorities said the assaults were retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes over the weekend, which targeted militant camps in Afghanistan and reportedly killed at least 18 people.

In response, Pakistan initiated “Ghazab Lil Haqq” (Operation Righteous Fury) on Friday. Airstrikes struck targets in Kabul, Paktia province, and Kandahar — the Taliban’s spiritual heartland and presumed base of its secretive leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

A Pakistani military spokesman later claimed that 73 Taliban positions along the border had been destroyed and more than a dozen other positions captured, marking a significant escalation in Islamabad’s retaliatory strategy.

Civilians Caught in Crossfire

Residents on both sides of the border reported terrifying experiences amid the bombardments. A Kabul woman described waking to a “loud explosion” followed by gunfire and “bullet-like flames” in the sky, leaving her and her neighbours fearful for their safety.

Muhammad Ullah, from Pakistan’s Baizai district, recounted “a series of explosions” beginning Thursday night and continuing into Friday morning, highlighting the intensity of the cross-border fighting.

Security analysts warn that the latest flare-up could further destabilize the region, exacerbating tensions between Islamabad and Kabul and putting civilians at heightened risk.