KABUL (Somaliguardian) – Fighting between Pakistan’s armed forces and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities stretched into a third day Saturday, with fresh overnight exchanges underscoring mounting international alarm and calls for swift diplomacy to prevent a broader war.
Pakistani aircraft and artillery struck Taliban-linked military sites Friday, including targets in Kabul and Kandahar, according to officials, signaling one of the most far-reaching cross-border operations in recent years.
Islamabad maintains that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are providing sanctuary to fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whom Pakistan blames for a persistent insurgency on its soil. Taliban officials reject the accusation.
Pakistani leaders characterized the strikes as a direct response to attacks launched from Afghan territory. Authorities in Kabul denounced the operation as a breach of national sovereignty, saying they remain willing to pursue dialogue but warning that an expanded confrontation would carry grave repercussions.
The flare-up has intensified concerns about sustained instability along the mountainous 2,600-kilometer (1,615-mile) frontier separating the two countries — a boundary long marked by mistrust and periodic violence.
Behind the scenes, diplomatic contacts accelerated. Afghanistan said Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to explore ways to ease tensions and preserve open communication.
The European Union appealed for restraint and meaningful engagement. The United Nations pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Russia urged both capitals to step back and resume discussions, while China voiced deep concern and signaled readiness to facilitate de-escalation.
In Washington, a State Department spokesperson said the United States backs Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks attributed to the Taliban. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said Washington does not consider Pakistan the instigator of the latest escalation and recognizes the domestic security pressures facing Islamabad, while expressing hope the crisis will not intensify.
Border clashes persist
Gunfire and shelling continued through the night in multiple sectors along the border.
Pakistani security officials said an operation known as “Ghazab Lil Haq” remains underway, asserting that several Taliban positions and encampments had been destroyed. Independent confirmation was not available.
Casualty figures released by both sides diverged sharply and could not be verified. Pakistani authorities reported 12 soldiers killed and said 274 Taliban fighters had died. Taliban representatives said 13 of their fighters were killed along with 55 Pakistani troops.
Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said 19 civilians were killed and 26 injured in Khost and Paktika provinces. That account could not be independently substantiated.
Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, declared that “our cup of patience has overflowed,” describing the confrontation as “open war” and warning that further attacks would prompt a forceful response.
Addressing supporters in Khost province, Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani said the conflict “will be very costly,” adding that Afghan forces had not mobilized beyond units already engaged.
Haqqani argued that the Taliban’s past victories were achieved “not through technology, but through unity and solidarity,” crediting endurance and cohesion over superior weaponry.
The military imbalance between the two sides is stark. Pakistan fields a large standing army and a capable air force. The Taliban, by contrast, possess no conventional air arm and depend primarily on light arms and ground formations.
Even so, Taliban fighters draw on experience forged during two decades of insurgency against U.S.-led forces before reclaiming control of Afghanistan in 2021 – a legacy that continues to shape the dynamics of the current confrontation.
