Pakistan Afghanistan News: Defense Minister declares 'open war' after cross-border strikes

Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, said on Friday that his country’s “patience has run out” with Afghanistan, declaring the situation an “open war” after both countries launched strikes following an Afghan cross-border attack.

He accused the Taliban of turning Afghanistan into “a colony of India” and of “exporting terrorism,” while alleging human rights abuses, including violations of women’s rights.

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Asif said Pakistan had sought regional stability through direct and allied efforts, but recent attacks on its territory prompted a decisive military response.

Early Friday, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Kabul and two other provinces, with explosions reported in the capital, though casualties remain unknown.

The strikes follow Afghanistan’s cross-border attack on Thursday, launched in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes earlier in the week along border areas.

Afghanistan’s government spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed Pakistan also targeted Kandahar and Paktia provinces, but offered no further details on casualties or locations.

Khawaja Mohammad Asif, highlighted his country’s long-standing role in hosting Afghan refugees, noting that over the past five decades, Pakistan sheltered around 5 million Afghans, with millions still earning their livelihoods there.He acknowledged the recent migration surge after Pakistan’s October 2023 crackdown on undocumented migrants, which led to the forced or voluntary return of millions to Afghanistan, including those born and settled in Pakistan.

Also Read: Pakistan PM says can 'crush' aggressors after Afghan strikes

The U.N. refugee agency reported that 2.9 million people returned last year, with nearly 80,000 having returned so far this year.

A cross-border tensions intensified, Pakistan struck targets inside major Afghan cities overnight, including Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, according to Pakistani and Taliban officials.

Reuters' reported, citing security sources in Pakistan said the operations involved both air and ground strikes against Taliban posts, headquarters, and ammunition depots along the border. Both sides reported heavy losses, though the numbers differed sharply and could not be independently verified. The overnight strikes mark the most serious escalation in months, threatening a fragile ceasefire along the 2,600-km frontier.

Islamabad has long accused Kabul of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, a claim the Taliban deny. Videos shared by Pakistani security officials showed flashes of light along the border and a building on fire, identified as a Taliban headquarters in Paktia.

Pakistani officials claimed 133 Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded, while Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said 55 Pakistani soldiers died and 19 posts were seized. The latest clashes follow Pakistani airstrikes earlier this week targeting TTP and Islamic State camps in eastern Afghanistan.

The violence erupted after the Taliban launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani military installations on Thursday night. Both sides claimed to have destroyed border posts during the skirmishes, further escalating tensions along the shared frontier.