Fighter jets bomb Kabul as Pakistan issues statement to Afghanistan
Photo: countries dispute border territories (Getty Images)
Pakistan declared an "open war" on Afghanistan’s Taliban government after rising tensions and prolonged border clashes between the two countries. Airstrikes were carried out on February 27 targeting Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, according to The Telegraph.
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Overnight on February 27, 2026, Pakistani forces launched strikes under the codename Operation Ghazab Lil Haq targeting sites Islamabad says are linked to Taliban forces and other armed groups.
Airstrikes hit ammunition depots, Taliban military facilities, and militant hideouts across Afghanistan, including in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.
Pakistani sources claimed the operation killed more than 130 fighters, wounded over 200, and destroyed dozens of camps and military positions.
Taliban response and escalation
The Taliban, which controls the government in Kabul, said the Pakistani airstrikes were a response to earlier attacks by Pakistani forces and violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
The conflict has intensified amid prolonged clashes along the Durand Line, where both sides have exchanged fire in recent months despite a fragile ceasefire in place since October 2025.
Attempts at peace talks in Istanbul and other cities have failed to produce lasting results, while trust between Islamabad and Kabul has remained low.
International actors have already called for de-escalation and protection of civilians, with reports of injured civilians and explosions in Kabul raising concerns about a potential humanitarian crisis.
The escalation marks one of the most serious spikes in tensions in recent years and risks developing into a broader armed conflict between the neighboring states after decades of instability along the border.
