Fighting between Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government and Pakistan intensified on Friday (February 27), with both sides claiming heavy casualties and accusing each other of launching cross-border attacks.
With military operations continued along their border, with conflicting accounts emerging from both capitals, Kabul called for dialogue.
Kabul calls for “dialogue” amid escalation
Afghanistan’s Taliban government signaled it still seeks a peaceful resolution despite the escalating violence.
“We have repeatedly emphasised a peaceful solution, and still want the problem to be resolved through dialogue,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a news conference.
Conflicting drone strike claims
The two sides offered sharply different versions of events regarding drone operations.
Afghanistan officials maintained they “successfully conducted” strikes on Pakistani military installations.
However, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar disputed the claim, saying militants affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban attempted drone attacks inside Pakistan but were intercepted.
“They were brought down by anti-drone systems and there was no damage to life,” Tarar said.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry rejected allegations of civilian targeting.
“At no place was any civilian infrastructure targeted. These are all military targets,” he said.
Pakistan also accused the Afghan Taliban of coordinating attacks with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad refers to as “Fitna al Khawarij.”
Afghan officials also claimed their forces carried out drone strikes inside Pakistan.
The Afghan defence ministry and a government spokesperson said Taliban forces “successfully conducted” aerial strikes using unmanned aircraft against Pakistani military positions.
Mujahid later warned that the strikes were intended to send a message, stating: “Our hand can reach their collar,” and added that any “malicious act” by Pakistan would be answered “in Islamabad.”
Pakistan declares “open war”
Pakistan described the situation as an “open war” following days of clashes.
“Our patience has run out. Now there is an open war between us,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a post on X. “Now it will be ‘Dama Dam Mast Qalandar’.”
According to Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistani forces killed 274 Taliban personnel and injured another 400.
“Twelve Pakistani soldiers were killed, while 27 others were injured, and one is missing in action,” Chaudhry said.
He added that Pakistan destroyed 73 Afghan border posts and captured 18 others. Airstrikes were carried out at 22 locations including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Khost, Paktika and Laghman.
Retaliation along the Durand Line
The fighting reportedly began after Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s border regions earlier in the week.
Taliban forces attacked multiple Pakistani border check posts on Thursday (February 27), apparently in retaliation.
The 2,611-kilometre border between the two countries, known as the Durand Line, remains a long-standing point of contention, as Kabul has never formally recognised it.
Mujahid claimed Afghan forces seized 19 Pakistani military posts and killed 55 Pakistani soldiers, while 13 Afghan fighters were killed and 22 wounded.
“Afghan forces recovered weapons, ammunition, one tank and a military transport vehicle,” he said.
Political and military response
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where he received a briefing on the situation.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz said “zero tolerance” should be adopted against coordination between the Afghan Taliban and TTP.
(With Reuters, PTI inputs)
