Islamabad/Kabul – Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached a critical point after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on major Afghan cities, prompting Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif to declare the start of an “open war.”
According to a report by Al Jazeera, Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Friday targeting areas in the Afghan capital Kabul, as well as Kandahar, a stronghold of the Taliban, and other cities. Clashes have also been reported along the border regions, with both sides claiming significant human casualties.
In response, Afghanistan stated that it is prepared to seek a resolution through dialogue. Cross-border attacks and retaliatory strikes have intensified in recent months, raising concerns about a broader regional military conflict.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Defense Minister Asif accused the Taliban administration of sheltering terrorist groups despite expectations that peace would be established in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of NATO forces. He alleged that the Taliban leadership has destabilized regional peace and committed human rights violations.
“Our patience has run out. From now on, it is open war between us and you,” Asif wrote, adding that Pakistan, as a neighboring country, is fully aware of the ground realities.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that Afghanistan had carried out drone attacks in Abbottabad, Swabi, and Nowshera. However, according to TOLOnews, the drones were intercepted by defense systems and no casualties were reported.
The growing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have sparked fears of further instability in South Asia, with observers warning that continued escalation could have serious regional consequences.
