Pakistan declares open war, Bombs Kabul, Kandahar after Afghanistan attacks border

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 27, 2026: Pakistan War With Afghanistan: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared an “open war" with Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the neighbouring countries following airstrikes, cross-border attacks and months of worsening violence along their shared frontier.

Pakistan carried out airstrikes targeting Afghan cities, including Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, after a fresh round of clashes between the two sides.

Announcing the shift in posture, Asif wrote on X, “Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you."

The declaration came amid intensifying hostilities that have pushed relations between Islamabad and Kabul to one of their lowest points in recent years.

AIRSTRIKES AND ESCALATION

AFP reported that jets were heard over Kabul and Kandahar, with journalists on the ground hearing multiple loud explosions followed by gunfire lasting more than two hours.

Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the Pakistani strikes but said there were no casualties.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the military action as a “befitting response," saying Pakistan’s armed forces acted after Afghan forces allegedly attacked Pakistani border troops.

Later, in an X post, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari mentioned, “Pakistan will not compromise on peace and territorial integrity."

“Our armed forces’ response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response – and no one will be beyond reach," he added.

The strikes followed retaliatory military actions by Afghanistan.

According to The Associated Press, Afghan authorities said their forces launched cross-border attacks late Thursday in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory.

Afghan officials claimed the operations targeted Pakistani military installations along the Durand Line, the disputed border separating the two countries.

Pakistani officials rejected those claims, describing the Afghan assault as unprovoked and insisting their military response was necessary to safeguard territorial integrity, the Associated Press reported.

BORDER FIGHTING AND COMPETING CLAIMS

Heavy fighting broke out along the mountainous frontier after Afghan forces opened fire on Pakistani positions, triggering more than two hours of clashes before Pakistani troops retaliated.

Both sides claimed to have destroyed or seized opposing military posts.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Information Ministry said its forces delivered an “immediate and effective response" to what it described as “unprovoked fire" from Afghan forces and vowed that “all necessary measures" would be taken to protect the country’s territorial integrity and citizens.

Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, meanwhile, said its operations were launched “in response to repeated provocations" by Pakistan.

Casualty figures, meanwhile, remain disputed, as both governments released sharply differing numbers, with each side claiming heavy losses inflicted on the other while downplaying its own casualties.

CIVILIANS AND REGIONAL CONCERNS

The escalating conflict has also affected civilians near the border. Shells struck areas near the Torkham crossing, wounding refugees and forcing evacuations on both sides of the frontier.

The United Nations urged restraint, with Secretary-General António Guterres calling on both countries to protect civilians and resolve differences through diplomacy.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated steadily in recent months despite ceasefire efforts mediated by regional actors, as Islamabad accuses Kabul of failing to act against militant groups operating from Afghan territory, allegations the Taliban government denies.