Pakistan bombs Kabul and declares war on Afghanistan
The bombing of the Afghan capital is an escalation of the open conflict between the two countries since the Taliban came to power.
BarcelonaThe Pakistani army bombed targets in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar, Afghanistan, early Friday morning. This wave of bombings marks the largest escalation of the open conflict between the two countries since the Taliban's return to power. According to the Pakistani Prime Minister's spokesman, speaking to the international press, the attacks targeted Afghan military positions. Meanwhile, the Taliban regime spokesman asserted that the Pakistani attacks resulted in no casualties. "The cowardly Pakistani army carried out bombings in some areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia," he said, adding that his country responded to the offensive with "significant retaliatory operations against Pakistani military positions in Kandahar and Helmand."
In a message to X, Pakistani Defense Minister Jawaja Asif stated that the Pakistani people's "patience" "has run out": "From now on, we are at open war," he emphasized. Hours after the start of the attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif warned that the country's armed forces have the "full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions" and asserted that the armed forces will respond "forcefully" to any incursion.
Pakistan's declaration of "open war," in the words of the government, comes five days after the country launched airstrikes against alleged hideouts of Afghan militant groups operating primarily along the border known as the Durand Line. These attacks were met with a response from Kabul, with clashes along the border in the hours leading up to this morning's bombing. In the border fighting, Pakistani authorities claim to have killed 133 Taliban fighters and wounded more than 200. The Taliban government, for its part, claims to have killed 55 Pakistani soldiers. Hours before the attack, the Taliban had declared the end of their latest offensive along the border, in which they claim to have seized "dozens of light and heavy weapons, ammunition, and military equipment." The Taliban government also warned that it has "sufficient resources" to respond to an attack from Pakistan: "If they act recklessly, we will respond in kind, and their important centers and major cities will be attacked," declared Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Historically tense relations
The establishment of the Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan by the British Empire and the Emirate of Kabul during the colonial era divided ethnic groups, creating tensions that persist to this day. The international community, for the most part, and Pakistan recognize this line as the border with Afghanistan, but Kabul currently rejects it.
The return of the Taliban to power in 2021 has further strained already complex relations between the two countries. The growth of militant groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has escalated hostilities and increased border tensions. Despite some attempts at negotiation in late 2025, relations have not improved, and in recent weeks clashes have intensified, culminating in this morning's declaration of war.