Tensions between neighboring nations reached a breaking point on Friday as Pakistan launched a series of air strikes targeting major Afghan cities, including the capital, Kabul, and the Taliban’s southern stronghold of Kandahar.

The escalation has led Islamabad’s defense minister, Khawaja Asif, to declare a state of "open war" following months of volatile border clashes and failed diplomatic negotiations.

The strikes were initiated following a Thursday night skirmish in which Afghan forces reportedly attacked Pakistani border troops.

In the wake of the aerial bombardment, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that military targets in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia province were hit. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif bolstered this stance, asserting that Pakistan possesses the full capability to crush any "aggressive ambitions" from its neighbor.

In Kabul, the sound of fighter jets and heavy explosions echoed for several hours, followed by sporadic gunfire.

While Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strikes, he maintained that there were no casualties resulting from the aerial campaign.

However, the Afghan defense ministry reported that eight of its soldiers were killed during a separate land offensive.

On the civilian front, reports from Nangarhar province indicated that at least seven refugees were wounded at a border camp near the Torkham crossing after it was struck by a mortar shell.

Relations between the two countries have been in a state of freefall since October, when border fighting left more than 70 people dead.

Since then, major land crossings have remained largely closed. Islamabad has consistently accused the Taliban government of harboring militant groups that carry out attacks on Pakistani soil—a claim the Taliban continues to deny.

Despite mediation efforts by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, previous ceasefires have collapsed under the weight of repeated suicide bombings and cross-border fire.

As the conflict intensifies, the Taliban claims to have captured several Pakistani soldiers alive, though Islamabad has officially denied these reports.

The humanitarian situation remains precarious, particularly for refugees caught in the crossfire of what has now transitioned from localized border friction into an all-out military confrontation.

Source: AFP