Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday declared that the country was now in an “open war” situation with neighbouring Afghanistan, signalling a dramatic escalation after overnight cross-border strikes and mounting battlefield claims from both sides.
“Our patience has run out. It is now open war between us and you,” Asif said, addressing Afghanistan in unusually blunt remarks as tensions along the frontier surged.
Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities claimed at least 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in cross-border fighting after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and other Afghan cities — one of the most serious flare-ups between the neighbours in years.
A Pakistani government spokesperson said 133 Taliban fighters were killed, more than 200 wounded, and dozens of posts destroyed or captured.
The losses on both side, are yet to be verified.
Afghan local media also reported that air defence units shot down a Pakistani aircraft that allegedly entered Afghan airspace during the exchanges, though no confirmation has emerged from Pakistani officials or independent sources.
Explosions and the sound of aircraft were heard in Kabul early Friday, hours after the Taliban said its forces had captured military bases and posts along the disputed Durand Line. Pakistan disputed the figures and said it had inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan fighters.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of targeting areas in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia.
“The cowardly Pakistani military has carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia; fortunately, there have been no reported casualties,” Mujahid wrote on X.
The ministry claimed that during the four-hour battle, two Pakistani military bases and 19 posts were captured. Soldiers allegedly fled from four additional posts.
“In these retaliatory operations along the Durand Line, a total of 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed,” the statement said. It added that some bodies were transferred into Afghanistan, several soldiers were captured alive, and dozens of light and heavy weapons, ammunition and military supplies were seized. One Pakistani tank was destroyed and a large military transport vehicle was captured, according to the ministry.
The statement said fighting ceased at midnight on the orders of the Chief of General Staff after “assigned objectives were achieved.”
Afghan authorities acknowledged casualties on their side, saying eight Taliban fighters were killed and 11 others injured.
The ministry also said 13 Afghan civilians, including women and children, were injured in what it described as a missile attack on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.
The claims could not be independently verified.
