Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ highlights: US backs Islamabad's 'right to defend itself' against Kabul

Pak-Afghanistan 'open war' highlights: The United States said on Friday that it backed Pakistan after it carried out airstrikes in neighbouring Afghanistan and announced war against the Taliban government following clashes. Pakistan has reportedly claimed that 274 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and many more were wounded in its latest military offensive. Warning Kabul of escalation, Islamabad Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the armed forces have the capability to “crush any aggressive ambitions,” while defence minister Khawaja Asif declared that “our patience has reached its limit” and warned that it was now “open war” between the two sides.

Fresh gunfire and shelling was reported by news agency AFP journalists near the key Torkham border crossing. Incoming shelling was heard from the Afghan side from around 9:30 am local time (0500 GMT) on Friday, followed by cross-border exchanges.

Pakistani Air Force (PAF) jets are reported to be patrolling the skies over Afghanistan’s Kandahar region, Pakistan’s Dawn reported, citing State media. “The Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for any aggression and possess the capability to deliver a befitting response,” the broadcaster quoted security sources as saying.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated sharply overnight, with both sides claiming heavy losses and launching retaliatory strikes across the disputed border. Explosions and gunfire were reported in Kabul and Kandahar even as leaders in Islamabad and Kabul traded accusations of aggression.

The ministry of national defence of Afghanistan said 55 Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed in retaliatory operations carried out along the Durand Line on Thursday. The 2,611-km border – known as the Durand Line – has never been officially recognised by Afghanistan and has long remained a flashpoint.

In a press release, the ministry said the operation began at 8:00 PM on the 9th of Ramadan, corresponding to February 26. It described the action as a response to what it called a violation of Afghan territory by Pakistani military forces days earlier.

According to the ministry, Afghan forces targeted Pakistani military posts in the eastern and southeastern directions along the Durand Line, near Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces.

Pakistan calls strikes ‘befitting response’

Islamabad, however, pushed back strongly. Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said Friday that the strikes on Afghanistan were a “befitting response”, as blasts and gunfire rang out in Kabul and Kandahar.

“Pakistan's armed forces have given a befitting response to the Afghan Taliban's open aggression,” Naqvi said, hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops. He described the Afghan action as “open aggression,” reported AFP.

Pakistan’s information ministry said Afghanistan had “opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations” across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It added that the firing was “being met with immediate, and effective response”.

Pakistan gives ‘open war’ warning after Afghanistan’s retaliatory strikes: 10 top developments

1. Pakistan carried out airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, triggering fresh retaliation from the Taliban government.

2. Afghan forces launched cross-border attacks on Pakistani troops, describing them as retaliation for earlier deadly air raids.

3. Kabul claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a four-hour operation along the Durand Line, saying two bases and 19 posts were captured.

4. The Taliban government also said eight Afghan fighters were killed and 11 injured, and alleged that 13 civilians were wounded in a missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.

5. Pakistan disputed the figures, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reportedly saying only two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three injured.

6. Islamabad claimed at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and over 200 wounded, and said 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine captured, reported PTI.

7. Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq, describing it as a retaliatory campaign after alleged Taliban attacks on border posts.

8. Defence minister Khawaja Asif declared an “all-out confrontation”, saying: “Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you.”

9. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s forces have the capability to “crush any aggressive ambitions,” while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the strikes a “befitting response.”

10. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to protect civilians under international law and resolve differences through diplomacy, as tensions continue to spiral.