Border clashes intensify as Pakistan and Afghanistan trade strikes amid Durand Line tensions
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan surged dramatically after airstrikes hit Kabul and other Afghan provinces, marking one of the most serious escalations in the ongoing border conflict between the two neighbors.
Afghanistan’s government confirmed that Pakistani forces carried out early-morning airstrikes in Kabul, as well as in Kandahar and Paktia provinces. At least three explosions were heard in the Afghan capital, though immediate details on casualties or precise targets were unclear.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that the country’s armed forces are fully capable of responding forcefully.
“Our forces have the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions,” Sharif said in a statement. “The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan armed forces.”
“Open War” Declaration
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif described the situation as “open war,” accusing Afghanistan’s Taliban government of escalating hostilities.
“Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you,” Asif posted on X.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the strikes a “befitting response” to Afghan cross-border attacks that Islamabad says targeted Pakistani troops.
Two senior Pakistani security officials said the airstrikes targeted Afghan military facilities, claiming two brigade bases were destroyed. However, casualty figures remain disputed and unverified.
Retaliation Across the Durand Line
Afghanistan said its military had launched retaliatory attacks late Thursday against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line, the 2,611-kilometer border that Kabul has never formally recognized.
Afghan officials claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, multiple army posts were captured, and 19 military posts along with two bases were destroyed during the fighting.
Pakistan rejected those figures, stating that two of its soldiers were killed, three were wounded, and dozens of Afghan fighters were killed during the clashes.
Pakistani authorities also denied that any army posts were captured.
Refugee Camp Hit, Civilians Wounded
Both sides reported heavy exchanges of fire near the Torkham border crossing. Afghan officials said a refugee camp near the border was struck by missiles, wounding 13 civilians, including women and children.
On the Pakistani side, police said residents were evacuating villages after mortar shells landed nearby, though no civilian casualties were confirmed.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to protect civilians and resolve disputes through diplomacy.
Ceasefire Under Strain
The renewed violence casts doubt on a fragile Qatar-mediated ceasefire that had largely held despite sporadic clashes. Months of tension, including previous deadly airstrikes and militant attacks, have strained relations.
Pakistan maintains that its strikes target militants, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it accuses of operating from Afghan territory a claim Kabul denies.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, has accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty and targeting civilian areas.
As both governments trade accusations and conflicting casualty figures, fears are growing that the escalating Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict could spiral into a broader confrontation.
Source: BBC & Arab News