Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict Escalates: Cross-Border Strikes and "Open War" Declarations
A series of cross-border military actions and declarations of "open war" have marked a significant escalation in the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both nations have conducted airstrikes and ground operations, reporting conflicting casualty figures and accusing each other of violating sovereignty and harboring militant groups. International bodies have urged de-escalation and a return to diplomatic dialogue.
Recent Military Engagements
The most recent surge in hostilities began on a Sunday with Pakistani airstrikes targeting areas in Afghanistan's Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Pakistan stated these operations were "intelligence-based, selective operations" against hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates, as well as an Islamic State group affiliate. Pakistan reported the deaths of 70 to 80 militants.
Afghan officials, however, claimed these strikes hit a religious school and residential homes, causing fatalities and injuries among civilians, including women and children. The Afghan Ministry of Defence reported dozens killed and wounded, with some sources indicating at least 17 deaths in Nangarhar. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan later reported at least 13 civilian deaths from these strikes. Afghanistan condemned the actions as a violation of its airspace and sovereignty, pledging a "measured and appropriate response."
Days later, on a Thursday, Afghanistan launched its own "large-scale offensive operations" against Pakistani military positions along the shared border, characterizing these actions as retaliation for Pakistan's earlier airstrikes. Afghanistan's military reported heavy clashes and claimed to have killed 55 Pakistani soldiers, captured multiple border posts, and destroyed military facilities, while reporting 8 Afghan soldiers killed and 11 injured.
Pakistan, in turn, dismissed these claims as "propaganda," stating that a small drone was downed and no military installations were hit. Pakistani security officials denied any soldiers were captured.
Early the following Friday, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, and in Kandahar and Paktia provinces. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared that the nation's "patience had run out" and that there was now an "open war" with Afghanistan.
Pakistan's military spokesperson claimed "Operation Ghazab lil-Haq" killed 274 Taliban fighters, injured 400, and led to the seizure of 18 military positions and the destruction of dozens of bases. Another Pakistani official claimed 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and over 200 wounded, with 9 Taliban positions captured and 27 destroyed.
Afghan officials confirmed the strikes but initially reported no casualties from these specific attacks. Subsequently, however, the Afghan Ministry of Defence stated that the strikes hit civilian areas, including a religious school and residential properties, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths and injuries. An Afghan official reported seven civilians wounded at a refugee camp near the Torkham border crossing after a mortar shell reportedly hit the camp.
Fighting persisted into the weekend, with Afghan officials reporting on Sunday that Pakistani military jets attempted to bomb Bagram Air Base, a former U.S. military installation. Afghan forces stated they used anti-aircraft and missile defense systems to repel the attack. Pakistan did not immediately respond to these claims. Afghan officials also reported that Pakistani drone attacks hit civilian homes in Nangarhar province, resulting in the deaths of a woman and a child, and that mortar fire killed another civilian in Paktia province. Pakistan has not publicly responded to these specific allegations.
Preceding Attacks in Pakistan
These cross-border actions followed a series of militant attacks within Pakistan:
- On February 6, a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad resulted in the deaths of at least 31 to 36 worshippers and wounded 170. This attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.
- Days later, an explosives-laden vehicle attacked a security post in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing 11 soldiers and one child. Pakistani authorities identified the attacker as an Afghan national.
- Hours before Pakistan's Friday airstrikes, a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in Bannu district, killing two soldiers.
Pakistan stated it possessed "conclusive evidence" that recent attacks on its soil were carried out by fighters and suicide bombers acting on directives from Afghanistan-based leadership.
Underlying Tensions and Accusations
A central point of contention is Pakistan's accusation that Afghanistan's Taliban rulers harbor militant groups, specifically the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which Pakistan attributes to a surge in attacks within its borders. Pakistan states the TTP operates from Afghan territory.
Afghanistan's Taliban government consistently denies these allegations, asserting it prevents its territory from being used against other countries and maintains that militancy is Pakistan's domestic issue. The TTP, which emerged in 2007, shares ideological and social ties with the Afghan Taliban but is a distinct group.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained since the Taliban's return to power in 2021. The two countries share a 1,600-mile frontier known as the Durand Line, established in 1893. While Pakistan recognizes this as its international border, Afghanistan does not accept it as a legitimate boundary.
Diplomatic Efforts and International Response
A fragile ceasefire, brokered by Qatar in October, had previously paused hostilities, but it has since collapsed. Subsequent talks in Istanbul failed to produce a formal agreement. Earlier, Saudi Arabia mediated the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan in October.
The escalating conflict has drawn calls for de-escalation from the international community. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged both nations to protect civilians, as required by international law, and to resolve differences through diplomacy. China expressed concern, urging dialogue and offering to mediate. Russia called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue, indicating it would consider mediation if requested. Iran's Foreign Minister encouraged dialogue, and the UK, EU, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Jordan have also called for restraint. India condemned Pakistan's airstrikes, supporting Afghanistan's sovereignty and characterizing the action as an "attempt by Pakistan to externalise its internal failures."
Humanitarian Impact and Other Context
The heightened border clashes coincide with a severe weather period. Heavy rainfall in the past five days has caused significant flooding and building collapses, resulting in 45 deaths and 74 injuries across Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, at least 17 people, including 14 children, were killed. Afghanistan has been struggling to cope with such events, particularly with international aid significantly reduced.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also accused the Taliban government of turning Afghanistan into a "colony of India" and denying basic human rights, including women's rights. Pakistan has highlighted its history of hosting millions of Afghan refugees, noting its October 2023 policy to expel undocumented migrants, which led to millions of returns to Afghanistan.