Pakistan Strikes Taliban Targets in Afghanistan

Pakistan carried out overnight airstrikes on Taliban government positions in Afghanistan, marking the first direct military action against the group it once maintained close ties with. 

Officials described the development as an “open war,” signaling a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighboring countries.

The strikes reportedly targeted key locations in Kabul and Kandahar, the latter known as a stronghold of Taliban leadership. 

This move represents a significant shift in Islamabad’s approach, as previous operations were aimed at militant groups accused of operating from Afghan territory — not the Taliban administration itself.

Security officials in Pakistan said the operation involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and parts of Paktia province.

The escalation has heightened concerns in the already fragile region, particularly given the complex political and security dynamics between the two countries.

The Taliban said it launched what it described as retaliatory attacks on Pakistani military installations.

Both sides reported heavy losses, issuing sharply differing figures that Reuters could not independently verify.

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

Source: Reuters