Iran has offered to mediate while Russia has urged immediate diplomacy as Pakistan-Afghanistan border tensions escalate following fresh airstrikes and declarations of “open war.”
Pakistan-Afghanistan Clash Will Mediation Efforts by Iran and Russia Ease Tensions (Source: X/ @thefinbless)
Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and three other Afghan provinces on Friday, Afghan officials said, after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared open war, stating that the country had run out of “patience” following repeated cross-border attacks.
The fresh escalation has drawn international attention. Iran offered to step in and help reduce tensions between the two neighbours. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to provide any assistance necessary to facilitate dialogue and to enhance understanding and cooperation between the two countries."
Meanwhile, Russia also urged both sides to immediately stop cross-border attacks and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels, according to the RIA news agency, citing the Russian foreign ministry.
According to Pakistani and Taliban officials, Pakistan targeted locations inside Afghanistan’s major cities overnight as cross-border fighting intensified. The violence follows months of rising tensions and sporadic clashes along the border.
Security sources in Pakistan said the operation included both air and ground strikes. The targets reportedly included Taliban posts, headquarters, and ammunition depots in several sectors along the border.
Both sides claimed heavy losses but released sharply different figures, which Reuters said it could not independently verify. The strikes are being described as the most serious escalation in months. They threaten the fragile ceasefire along the 2,600-km frontier and deepen a long-standing dispute.
At the heart of the conflict is Pakistan’s accusation that Afghanistan is sheltering militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad has repeatedly alleged that TTP fighters use Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government has denied these claims.
Videos shared by Pakistani security officials showed flashes of light in the night sky from artillery fire along the border. Another video showed a building engulfed in flames, which officials identified as a Taliban headquarters in Paktia.
With both countries exchanging strikes and strong statements, regional powers are now urging restraint as fears grow that the conflict could widen further.
