Pakistan bombs Taliban government targets in Afghanistan

KABUL/ISLAMABAD,— Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan expanded overnight as Pakistani forces struck Taliban government positions in key Afghan cities, officials on both sides said Friday.

Pakistan’s defense chief said the situation had turned into “open war“.

Pakistani security officials said the operation included air strikes and ground assaults against Taliban bases, command centers and weapons storage sites across several border areas.

Speaking on Friday, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, “Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan).”

The military action adds to tensions along the 2,600 kilometer border separating the two countries.

The dispute centers on Pakistan’s claim that Kabul shelters militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban authorities have rejected the accusation and said Pakistan’s internal security challenges are its own responsibility.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft struck areas of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. Footage released by Pakistani security officials showed nighttime shelling along the frontier, with bursts of light and heavy gunfire.

Video from Kabul showed dark smoke rising from two sites and flames spreading in one section of the city. Another clip showed a building burning in Paktia province, which Pakistani officials said was used as a Taliban headquarters.

Pakistani government spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi said on X that counter strikes were ongoing. He said the operation was launched in response to what he described as unprovoked attacks by Afghan forces.

In Kabul, Reuters witnesses reported hearing strong explosions followed by ambulance sirens. Jets were also heard flying above the city.

Zaidi said the strikes killed 133 Taliban fighters and wounded more than 200 others. He said Pakistani forces destroyed 27 Taliban posts and took control of nine.

Mujahid disputed those numbers. He said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 of their posts were captured. He said eight Taliban members were killed and 11 wounded. He also reported that 13 civilians were injured in Nangarhar province.

Pakistan has maintained heightened security since earlier this week, when it carried out air strikes that it said targeted camps belonging to Tehreek e Taliban, known as TTP, and Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan.

Afghan authorities said those earlier attacks killed 13 civilians. They repeated that Afghan territory is not used by militant groups to launch attacks abroad. Taliban officials also warned they would respond strongly.

Bakhtar News Agency in Nangarhar released an image it said showed a unit of suicide attackers. The agency cited an Afghan security source who said the bombers were equipped with explosive vests and vehicle bombs and were prepared to attack major targets.

Pakistani officials have recently expressed concern about possible militant attacks in major cities.

Clashes along the border escalated Thursday night after the Taliban launched what they described as retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military positions. During those exchanges, both sides claimed to have destroyed border posts held by the other.

(With files from Reuters)