Islamabad declared “Open War” against Kabul

On Thursday evening, after the unprovoked attack by the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan retaliated, and the Ministry of Defence declared it as ‘open war.’ Furthermore, in a post on X, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said the “Taliban is turning Afghanistan into a colony of India, now our patience has run out. Now it is an “Open war” between us. Both sides have reported casualties during the ongoing conflict. DGISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry holds a press conference on the ongoing war against Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference, DGISPR said Afghan Taliban forces had initiated unprovoked cross-border firing in 15 sectors across 27 locations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Further, he added that Pakistan security forces “effectively repulsed” the attacks and launched calibrated counter-strikes in response. According to DGISPR, Pakistan destroyed more than 73 Afghan Taliban posts and 115 tanks in retaliatory strikes, killing 274 Taliban regime operatives and terrorists and injuring over 400 since Thursday night. Meanwhile, he confirmed, 12 Pakistani soldiers were martyred, 27 sustained injuries, and one remains missing in action during the clashes.

Previously, in the wee hours of 22 February 2026, Islamabad launched the deadly strikes on Afghanistan. Islamabad’s Ministry of Information confirmed that the attacks targeted seven militant camps and hideouts near the Pak-Afghan border area. The intelligence-based airstrikes were carried out after recent suicide bombings in Pakistan included one on a Shia Mosque in the capital, Islamabad, and another in north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to take action against the militants. Pakistan added that it had conclusive evidence that the attacks were carried out by militants on the behest of the Afghan leadership. While the Taliban’s defence ministry condemned the attacks, referring to them as “blatant violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity”, adding that it was a “clear breach of international law”. The Taliban’s defence ministry alleged that the strikes targeted civilian areas of Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Kabul warned that “an appropriate and measured response will be taken at a suitable time”. Kabul justifying their Thursday action, saying they have responded to airstrikes carried out by Pakistan. While DGISPR gave a statement that Pakistan has carefully carried out airstrikes against Fitna al-Khawarij, who were responsible for suicide attacks in Pakistan.

During the Pakistani airstrikes, more than 80 terrorists were killed, and seven terrorist camps and hideouts were destroyed in the border region. Pakistan has carried out a retaliatory operation against groups responsible for the recent suicide bombings inside Pakistan. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that the strikes targeted seven terrorist hideouts and training centres belonging to (Fitna al-Khawarij), a term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and its affiliates, including the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). According to the security forces’ statement, released Sunday evening, “Last night, Pakistan’s intelligence-based airstrikes destroyed seven centres of Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP) in three provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost, in which more than 80 Khawarij have been confirmed killed, while more are expected. Pakistan has conclusive evidence that these acts of terrorism were orchestrated by Afghan-based handlers of Fitna al-Khawarij and ISKP,” the ministry said. “The action was a retributive response, based on intelligence-led selective targeting, prioritizing the safety of our citizens.

Since the 2021 return of the Afghan Taliban to Kabul, Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in terror activities in the country. Islamabad tried several diplomatic means to convince the Afghan Taliban to abandon their support for the TTP. From Jan to Dec 15, 2025, Pakistan recorded at least 4,200 and 1,453 infiltration attempts of terrorists from Afghanistan into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, respectively. Similarly, out of 2395 terrorists killed during intelligence-based operations (IBOs), 220 were identified as Afghan nationals. Officials also insist that TTP operates over 60 camps across Nuristan, Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Khost, and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan, serving as infiltration hubs into KP. Crucially, intense fighting along the long-contested Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier broke out in October 2025.

Conclusively, the latest escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan marks one of the most serious ruptures in bilateral relations since 2021. What began as cross-border militant violence has now evolved into open military confrontation, characterized by airstrikes, artillery exchanges, and mounting casualties on both sides. However, prolonged military escalation risks destabilizing not only bilateral ties but also the broader regional security architecture. Beyond bilateral tensions, the confrontation carries significant implications for South Asian peace and regional stability. South Asia remains one of the least economically integrated yet most militarized regions in the world, where fragile political transitions, cross-border militancy, and unresolved territorial disputes routinely threaten collective security. Ultimately, the conflict illustrates the urgent need for a structured security dialogue, credible verification mechanisms, and renewed diplomatic engagement.