Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Trade Major Cross‑Border Strikes as Islamabad Declares 'Open War' and Eyes U.S. Backing
Pakistan has launched large‑scale airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and other border provinces and formally declared “open war” with the Afghan Taliban after months of deteriorating ties and cross‑border clashes, with Islamabad saying it hit Taliban targets including ammunition depots. Afghan and Pakistani officials give sharply conflicting casualty and damage counts—Taliban claim capture of Pakistani posts and dozens killed while Pakistan says it killed hundreds of fighters—and the fighting, which the UN says earlier strikes killed at least 13 civilians, has wounded refugees near the Torkham crossing, closed border points and fueled speculation about possible U.S. backing and wider regional fallout tied to India‑Pakistan tensions.
📌 Key Facts
- Pakistan launched large-scale airstrikes on Afghanistan, striking Kabul and Kandahar and hitting targets in Paktia (and earlier strikes reported in Nangarhar and Paktika); Pakistan’s state broadcaster and reporting said ammunition depots were hit, and the U.N. said earlier overnight strikes killed at least 13 civilians.
- Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif publicly declared “open war,” saying “Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you.”
- Afghan Taliban and Afghan forces said they conducted cross‑border attacks in retaliation, with the Taliban claiming capture of 19 Pakistani military posts and Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry saying 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed (and several captured); Afghan spokesmen said they targeted “important military targets in Pakistan.”
- Pakistan disputed Afghan claims and offered far lower Pakistani losses (information minister: two soldiers killed, three wounded) while Pakistani officials and spokesmen claimed heavy Taliban losses (varied figures including claims of hundreds killed and, by one spokesman, 133 Taliban killed, more than 200 wounded, 27 posts destroyed and nine fighters captured).
- Fighting around the Torkham crossing disrupted civilians: a mortar round hit a camp for Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan, wounding seven (one woman seriously), and authorities pulled refugees back to safer areas amid ongoing firefights and evacuation of camps.
- Pakistani security officials reported some Afghan border posts raised white flags interpreted as a request to halt fire, while Islamabad said it was conducting a “strong retaliatory response” to what it called unprovoked aggression.
- The confrontation follows months‑long deterioration in Afghanistan–Pakistan ties after deadly October border clashes that killed more than 70 people on both sides, subsequent border closures, a Qatar‑ and Turkey‑brokered cease‑fire and Saudi‑mediated prisoner releases.
- Analysts and reports note wider regional and geopolitical context: Islamabad publicly accused the Taliban of aligning with India (heightened by Taliban foreign minister visits to New Delhi and a joint statement touching on Jammu and Kashmir), and some experts speculated the U.S. might back a Pakistan‑led push against the Taliban — tying into broader talk about retaking bases like Bagram.
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 27, 2026
7:57 PM
How Afghanistan-Pakistan relations deteriorated into ‘open war’
New information:
- Confirms Pakistan launched large‑scale airstrikes on Kabul and Kandahar, explicitly targeting areas linked to Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhunzada.
- Notes Pakistan claims to have killed 'hundreds' of Afghan Taliban fighters in the latest strikes.
- Details that the Afghan Taliban say they conducted a major operation the previous day, claiming capture of 19 Pakistani military posts and killing 55 Pakistani soldiers.
- Reports Pakistan’s information minister publicly labeling the Taliban government an 'illegitimate regime' that represses women, minorities and children.
- Adds expert speculation that the U.S. may back a Pakistan‑led regime‑change operation in Kabul, and ties it to Trump’s stated desire to 'retake' Bagram airbase, which the Taliban now control.
- Highlights Afghan–India diplomatic coordination, including Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s New Delhi visit and a joint statement referencing Jammu and Kashmir as part of India, which angered Islamabad.
4:34 PM
Pakistan defense minister says country is in 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes
New information:
- Afghan forces launched a cross‑border attack on Pakistan late Thursday explicitly described as retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas the prior Sunday.
- Afghan spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said from Kandahar that Afghanistan had targeted 'important military targets in Pakistan' and that 'our hands can reach their throats.'
- Pakistan’s new round of airstrikes hit Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, and Afghan officials in Nangarhar reported Pakistani mortar fire striking civilian areas in Torkham, including a refugee camp that had been evacuated overnight.
- Afghan authorities said they were actively targeting Pakistani army posts across the border in response, indicating ongoing firefights in the Torkham area.
- Defense Minister Khawaja Asif escalated rhetoric by accusing the Taliban of turning Afghanistan into a 'colony of India,' tying Kabul’s posture to India–Pakistan rivalry.
11:11 AM
Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan in ‘Open War’ Against Taliban Regime
New information:
- Confirms that Pakistani airstrikes hit Afghanistan’s two largest cities, Kabul and Kandahar, as well as Paktia province.
- Reports that at least one ammunition depot was bombed in Kabul, with Pakistan’s state broadcaster also claiming an ammunition depot was hit in Kandahar.
- Provides the explicit, on-the-record quote from Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif: 'Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you.'
6:09 AM
Pakistan’s defense minister says that there is now ‘open war’ with Afghanistan after latest strikes
New information:
- Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif explicitly said on X that 'our patience has now run out' and 'now it is open war between us,' framing Pakistan’s posture as a declared 'open war.'
- Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, several captured alive, 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases destroyed, and eight Afghan soldiers killed and 11 wounded.
- Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar countered that only two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded, while a Sharif spokesman claimed at least 133 Afghan fighters killed, more than 200 wounded, 27 posts destroyed and nine fighters captured.
- Pakistani security officials said some Afghan border posts raised white flags interpreted as a request to halt fire, while Pakistan continued what it called a 'strong retaliatory response' to 'unprovoked aggression.'
- Authorities pulled Afghan refugees waiting to cross at Torkham back to safer areas amid the fighting, indicating immediate disruption of cross‑border civilian movement.
5:28 AM
Pakistan says it is in "open war" with Afghanistan, launches strikes on Kabul
New information:
- Confirms Pakistani airstrikes hit Kabul and Kandahar, including loud blasts and jets overhead reported by AFP journalists.
- Adds that Pakistan also struck targets in Paktia province in this latest wave, on top of earlier strikes in Nangarhar and Paktika overnight into Sunday that the UN said killed at least 13 civilians.
- Reports Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed there were no casualties from the latest Kabul and Kandahar strikes, while separately acknowledging eight Afghan soldiers killed in a land offensive at the border.
- Details that a mortar round hit a camp for Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan near the Torkham crossing, wounding seven civilians, including one woman in serious condition.
- Describes months‑long deterioration in relations, including border closures since deadly October clashes that killed more than 70 on both sides and a Qatar‑ and Turkey‑brokered cease‑fire later supplemented by Saudi‑mediated prisoner releases.