Afghanistan-Pakistan war: Global powers urge ceasefire amid airstrike escalation

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday that the country now considers itself in "open war" with Afghanistan after its forces eliminated over 130 Taliban fighters in airstrikes targeting Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq—launched late Thursday in retaliation for alleged "unprovoked firing" across the disputed 2,611-km Durand Line, which Kabul refuses to recognize. "Our patience has run out. Now there is open war between us... it will be 'Dama Dam Mast Qalandar'," Asif declared on X, invoking the ecstatic Sufi chant symbolizing fearless, unrestrained action, while emphasizing Pakistan's intimate knowledge of its neighbor. Afghanistan's Defence Ministry countered that its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers, captured two headquarters and 19 checkposts along the border, per Tolo News. Meanwhile, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefed Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan and Saudi officials, stressing Pakistan's "befitting response" to Afghan aggression and committing to ongoing regional stability talks.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, discussing recent regional developments, especially the Pakistan-Afghanistan crisis. Dar stressed that Pakistan delivered a decisive response to unprovoked Afghan aggression, with its Armed Forces executing successful airstrikes under 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both ministers highlighted the need for regional peace and stability, agreeing to remain in close contact amid unfolding events.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday to settle their escalating disputes via dialogue and neighborly ties, pledging Tehran's full mediation support. In an X post, he highlighted Ramadan's spirit of restraint and Islamic unity as the perfect moment to de-escalate, stating it is "fitting" for both nations to prioritize talks over conflict.

Pakistani and Saudi top diplomats discuss border tensions with Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has had a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. A ministry statement said that the ministers discussed recent regional developments, including the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border

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Just six kilometers from the Prime Minister’s Office, suicide drones struck specialised "Atomic" military installations near Faizabad and along Tabassum Road, inflicting severe casualties in a brazen assault.

Amid the escalating fury of Pakistan's 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' airstrikes on Afghan soil, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi extended a timely olive branch, calling on both nations to sheath their swords during the sacred month of Ramadan. In a poignant X post, Araghchi emphasized that this period of self-restraint and Islamic solidarity is ideal for resolving differences through "good neighborliness and dialogue," with Iran poised to facilitate any talks, bolster understanding, and foster cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad. His intervention highlights Tehran's growing role as a regional peacemaker, especially as Saudi Arabia joins the mediation chorus amid fears of a broader conflict engulfing South Asia. Click here to read more.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to de escalate tensions and adhere to international law amid escalating clashes along their shared border.

Amid ongoing clashes with Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the people of Pakistan and its armed forces are fully prepared to defend the country’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He also warned Afghanistan that Pakistan would crush what he described as aggressive ambitions.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated earlier this week after Islamabad launched airstrikes on what it described as militant targets across the border, claiming that at least 70 terrorists were killed in the operation.

However, the United Nations said that 13 civilians lost their lives in the strikes. The attack took place against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire following border clashes in October that had left dozens of soldiers dead.

In its weekly briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that terrorist attacks inside the country have increased since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, with a sharper rise witnessed over the past 12 to 18 months.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, has expressed concern over reports of border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

“The Secretary General urges the parties to continue to seek to resolve any differences through diplomacy,” the statement added.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that 133 Afghan Taliban operatives were killed and more than 200 were injured during the counteroffensive, according to Pakistani media reports.

According to Agence France Presse, fighter jets were heard over Kabul and Kandahar, with journalists on the ground reporting multiple loud explosions followed by gunfire. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistani strikes had taken place, adding that no casualties were reported.

Afghanistan said its military launched cross border attacks into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for what it described as deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas on Sunday. Afghan officials further claimed that their forces had captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts during the operation.

Operation Ghazab lil Haq is a retaliatory military offensive launched by Pakistan in response to what it describes as cross-border attacks by the Afghan Taliban.

According to Pakistani authorities, the operation began late Thursday night after Taliban fighters allegedly targeted several Pakistani border posts. Islamabad has claimed that its forces carried out coordinated strikes against Taliban positions and that more than 130 fighters were killed in the initial phase of the offensive.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said the armed forces were delivering a strong and decisive response to what he termed aggression from across the border. The operation marks a significant escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly along the disputed Durand Line.

Pakistan launched a retaliatory military operation in response to what it described as cross border attacks by the Afghan Taliban, claiming that more than 130 Taliban fighters had been killed.

The operation, named Operation Ghazab lil Haq, began late Thursday night after Taliban forces allegedly targeted several Pakistani border posts.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the operation was underway, stating that the country’s armed forces were delivering a strong response to what he termed aggression by the Afghan Taliban.

More than 6,000 candidates are in the fray for the posts of mayor, chairperson and ward councillor across the urban local bodies.

Even before the commencement of counting, 41 ward councillors had already been declared elected unopposed in different civic bodies.

The latest escalation followed multiple Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan and repeated clashes along the frontier in recent months. Both sides claimed that dozens of soldiers had been killed in the renewed fighting.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X that Afghan Taliban defence targets had been struck in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar. Shortly afterwards, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif intensified the rhetoric, declaring an all-out confrontation with the Taliban government.

Pakistan carried out airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul, on Friday, significantly escalating tensions between the two neighbours. Explosions were reported in Kabul and Kandahar, with journalists from Agence France Presse and The Associated Press in both cities hearing blasts and fighter jets overhead.

The strikes came hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night, an operation the Taliban government described as retaliation for earlier deadly air raids.

ToloNews has reported that Afghan forces had downed a Pakistani aircraft after it allegedly violated Afghanistan’s airspace.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, said military operations had also been launched in Kandahar and Helmand along the disputed Durand Line, targeting what he described as security posts of Pakistan’s military regime.