Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif said Friday his country is in open war with Afghanistan. The stark words came days after Pakistani airstrikes hit targets inside Afghanistan. Those strikes aimed at militant groups blamed for attacks in Pakistan. Afghanistan hit back with its own operation. Now both sides trade fire along their long border.
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan carried out airstrikes on February 21 in Afghanistan's Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces, targeting seven militant camps linked to the Pakistani Taliban and ISIS-K.
- Afghan officials report 18 civilians dead, including children, from the strikes; Pakistan claims 80 militants killed.
- Afghanistan launched a retaliatory strike on February 26; Pakistan responded with Operation Ghazab Lil Haqq.
- Tensions follow a fragile ceasefire from October 2025 and recent terror attacks in Pakistan that killed dozens.
Background
The trouble between Pakistan and Afghanistan didn't start last week. It builds on years of fights over a shared border called the Durand Line. That line splits Pashtun tribes and has sparked arguments since the 1990s. Militants slip across it easily. Groups like the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, use Afghan soil to plan hits on Pakistan.
Back in October 2025, the two countries fought for ten days. Bombs fell. Troops clashed. Qatar stepped in and got them to agree to a ceasefire on October 19. That deal held for months. But cracks showed up fast.
February 2026 brought bad news for Pakistan. Terror attacks hit hard. A suicide bomber struck a Shiite mosque in Islamabad. Thirty-six people died there. Days later, gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Bajaur. Eleven soldiers and a child lost their lives. Pakistan pointed fingers at militants hiding in Afghanistan.
On February 11, Khawaja Asif warned the Taliban government. He said Pakistan might act before Ramadan if they didn't stop the militants. The Taliban didn't move fast enough. Pakistan sent a formal note to the Afghan ambassador on February 19. It said more attacks could mean air strikes inside Afghanistan.
And then it happened. Late on February 21, jets from Pakistan flew over the border.
Key Details
Pakistan's air force picked three provinces: Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost. These sit right along the border. Strikes hit Behsud and Khogyani in Nangarhar. Barmal and Urgun in Paktika. Parts of Khost too, though details stay thin there.
Pakistan said the targets were precise. Seven camps and hideouts for TTP and ISIS-K militants. The goal? Payback for the Islamabad bombing, Bajaur attack, and another in Bannu. A Pakistani paper quoted military sources. They claimed over 80 militants died. Hideouts destroyed.
But Afghanistan tells a different story. Taliban officials say the bombs hit homes and religious spots. In Behsud district of Nangarhar, one strike buried a house. Eighteen civilians died. Eleven of them kids. Rescue teams found 23 trapped under rubble.
Shayesteh Jan Ahadi knows the area well. He's the former head of Paktia Provincial Council. He called the strikes widespread and powerful. Said they likely killed many. But Taliban blocked photos and videos from getting out.
The UN's mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, weighed in. They timed the strikes from 11:45 p.m. on February 21 to 12:15 a.m. next day. In Paktika, bombs wrecked buildings but no civilian deaths reported there. Later, UNAMA upped the count. Over 13 civilians killed. Seven hurt.
Pakistan denied hitting civilians. They stuck to their line: militants only.
Border Clashes Heat Up
Things didn't stop at airstrikes. On February 24, shooting broke out along the border. Both sides fired. Each blamed the other for starting it. Zabihullah Noorani runs the info department in eastern Nangarhar for Afghanistan. He said Pakistani troops shot first in the Shahkot area.
Then came February 26. Afghanistan's Taliban launched what they called a retaliatory operation. Spokesman Mawlawi Wahidullah Mohammadi said it started at 8 p.m. local time. Chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed they killed many Pakistani soldiers. Captured others. Took 15 military posts.
Pakistan pushed back hard. A spokesman for the prime minister called it all lies. No posts lost. No big losses.
In response, Pakistan kicked off Operation Ghazab Lil Haqq. It means "Wrath for the Truth." Or some say "Righteous Fury." Details on that stay secret for now. But it's clear: more fighting ahead.
"We are in open war with Afghanistan." – Khawaja Asif, Pakistan Defence Minister
Troops on both sides stay on high alert. Villages near the border empty out. Families flee to safer spots. Food and water run short in some areas. Schools close. Roads shut.
What This Means
Open war. Those words from Asif change everything. They signal Pakistan sees this as full conflict, not just border spats. Militant groups gain from the mess. TTP and ISIS-K recruit more when states fight each other. Civilians pay the price. Dead kids in Nangarhar. Soldiers in Bajaur. It's a cycle.
The border stretches over 2,600 kilometers. Hard to seal. Porous enough for smugglers, drugs, guns, people. Every clash risks bigger war. Neighbors like Iran and China watch close. They share borders too. Don't want spillovers.
Trade takes a hit. Trucks that crossed daily now sit idle. Markets in Peshawar and Jalalabad lose goods. Prices climb for basics like wheat and fuel. Farmers can't sell crops across the line.
Refugees move. Some from Afghanistan head to Pakistan camps. Others flee deeper into Afghanistan. Aid groups scramble. UNAMA calls for calm. But voices stay low amid the guns.
For Pakistan, it's about security. They say Taliban harbors enemies. Afghanistan says Pakistan backs anti-Taliban fighters. Proof stays murky. Intelligence reports clash.
This could drag on. Ceasefires break easy. Last one lasted months. This might not. Armies dig in. Jets ready. Missiles loaded.
International talks? Qatar helped before. Maybe again. But trust sits low.
Frequently Asked Questions
What started the latest fighting?
Pakistan's airstrikes on February 21 targeted militant camps in response to terror attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu.
How many people died in the airstrikes?
Afghan reports say 18 civilians, including 11 children. Pakistan says 80 militants. UNAMA confirms at least 13 civilians killed.
What's the Durand Line?
It's the 1893 border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Neither side fully agrees on it. Militants cross it freely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What started the latest fighting?
Pakistan’s airstrikes on February 21 targeted militant camps in response to terror attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu.
How many people died in the airstrikes?
Afghan reports say 18 civilians, including 11 children. Pakistan says 80 militants. UNAMA confirms at least 13 civilians killed.
What’s the Durand Line?
It’s the 1893 border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Neither side fully agrees on it. Militants cross it freely.
