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Pakistan launches airstrikes on Afghan targets
Islamabad confirmed early Friday it had conducted bombing raids on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktika, escalating tensions after the Afghan Taliban attacked Pakistani military positions. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared the country was now in an "open war" with Afghanistan, citing exhausted patience following the overnight clashes.
Timeline of escalation
The Afghan Taliban announced a major offensive against Pakistani border posts at 20:00 local time Thursday (15:30 GMT). The group claimed it captured 19 military posts and two bases, killing 55 Pakistani soldiers. These figures remain unverified by independent sources.
Pakistan responded swiftly, alleging the Taliban initiated "unprovoked fire" across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Islamabad's military spokesman, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated the retaliatory strikes hit 22 Afghan military targets and killed over 200 Taliban fighters. Pakistan reported 12 of its soldiers died in the exchange.
The Taliban, however, claimed only 13 of its fighters were killed and 22 injured, along with 13 civilian injuries and unspecified civilian deaths. Both sides' casualty reports remain unverified.
Drone strikes and counterclaims
The Afghan Taliban later announced it had conducted drone strikes on Pakistani military positions in Kandahar and Helmand provinces early Friday. Taliban sources told the BBC these were launched from Afghan territory.
Pakistan's Information Minister Atta Tarar countered that its forces intercepted Afghan drones targeting Swabi, Nowshera, and Abbottabad-a garrison city housing the army's military academy.
In Afghanistan, Taliban officials alleged Pakistani rockets struck a refugee camp in Nangarhar, injuring at least nine people. This claim has not been independently verified.
Political and diplomatic reactions
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed his country's forces had "the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions," emphasizing there would be "no compromise" in defending the homeland.
"Our patience has now run out."
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan's Defence Minister
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict gained traction on Friday. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, agreeing to "stay closely engaged on evolving developments" and stressing the need for regional stability. Dar, currently in Saudi Arabia, also discussed the crisis with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Iran offered to "facilitate dialogue" between the two nations, urging them to resolve differences through "good neighbourliness." Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called for immediate de-escalation and renewed talks to prevent further civilian harm.
Background to the conflict
The latest clashes follow months of border skirmishes, despite a fragile ceasefire agreed in October. Negotiations last year failed to secure a lasting peace, with both sides accusing each other of insincere engagement.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring "anti-Pakistan terrorists" responsible for suicide attacks within its borders, including a recent mosque bombing in the capital.
