A fresh round of Pakistani military strikes along the Afghanistan border has triggered the most serious escalation between the two neighbours in months, pushing already strained ties closer to open confrontation. Pakistan’s military said it launched operations along the frontier on Sunday, claiming its forces killed at least 70 militants during the attacks.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government rejected that claim outright. Officials in Kabul said the strikes hit civilian areas, killing dozens of non-combatants, including women and children. Afghanistan’s defence ministry said “various civilian areas” in eastern provinces came under attack, including a religious madrassa and residential homes, calling the strikes a violation of Afghan airspace and national sovereignty.
Pakistan-Afghanistan War: Why Pakistan and Afghanistan Are Clashing Again?
The latest violence did not erupt in isolation. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have simmered for months, driven by repeated border incidents, mutual accusations, and failed diplomacy. Deadly clashes in October last year killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants on both sides, pushing relations to one of their lowest points in recent years.
That earlier violence followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad responded at the time by striking targets deep inside Afghanistan, saying it was targeting militant hideouts. While a ceasefire brokered by Qatar later reduced large-scale fighting, it never fully stopped sporadic exchanges of fire along the border.
Pakistan-Afghanistan War: Pakistan Releases Its Own Casualty Figures
As both sides traded blame, Pakistan strongly disputed Kabul’s version of events and released its own casualty figures. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three others wounded in the clashes. He added that 36 Afghan fighters had been killed.
Tarar said Pakistan was delivering a “strong and effective response” to “unprovoked firing” from Afghanistan, writing the statement on X.
Soon after, Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesperson for Shehbaz Sharif, denied Afghan claims that Pakistani soldiers had been captured during the fighting.
Pakistan-Afghanistan War: ‘Many More Casualties’ Claimed in Airstrikes
In a subsequent post on X, Zaidi escalated Pakistan’s claims, saying at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded. He also said Pakistani forces destroyed 27 Afghan posts and captured nine fighters during the latest operations.
Zaidi did not specify exact locations but warned that there would be “many more casualties estimated in strikes in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar military targets.”
Pakistan-Afghanistan War: Airstrikes Hit Kabul and Kandahar
The situation worsened on Friday when Pakistan carried out airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul. Explosions were reported in Kabul and Kandahar, with journalists on the ground hearing blasts and fighter jets flying overhead.
The strikes came just hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night. The Taliban government described that attack as retaliation for earlier deadly air raids conducted by Pakistan.
Pakistan-Afghanistan War: What Comes Next for the Neighbours
With both sides issuing sharply conflicting casualty figures and accusing each other of aggression, the risk of further escalation remains high. Pakistan insists it is acting in self-defence, while Afghanistan accuses Islamabad of violating sovereignty and targeting civilians.
As airstrikes replace talks and border clashes intensify, the fragile peace between the two neighbours faces its toughest test yet, raising concerns about broader instability in the region.
