Pakistan says at 'open war' with Afghanistan amid clashes

DW News · Feb 27, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Published February 27, 2026last updated February 27, 2026Explosions were reported in Kabul after Afghan forces launched a border offensive late Thursday. Fresh clashes are also being reported near the key Torkham border crossing. DW has the latest.https://p.dw.com/p/59UYSPakistan has bombed several areas of Afghanistan, including the capital KabulImage: Abdul Basit/AFPSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know Pakistan has bombed major cities in Afghanistan, declaring an 'open war' Afghanistan says it is carrying out operations in provinces along the border with Pakistan Both ​sides have reported heavy losses and issued conflicting tolls Here are the latest news, headlines and background on the reignited conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday February 27, 2026: Skip next section Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting?February 27, 2026Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting?Long-testy relations between the neighbors deteriorated sharply in recent months, hitting a low point with the deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides. Land border crossings have been largely shut since. Several rounds of talks followed an initial ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, but no lasting agreement has materialized in the conflict. Saudi Arabia this month managed to negotiate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured in October. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to act against militant groups that it says also act out of Afghanistan, which the Taliban deny. Chief among these is the TTP, often referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, but Pakistan would also point to Baloch separatist groups from the border areas. Pakistan's airstrikes followed a series of deadly suicide blasts including an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan regional chapter that's primarily active in eastern Afghanistan. https://p.dw.com/p/59UfXSkip next section What do we know so far about the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict?February 27, 2026What do we know so far about the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict?Both Afghanistan and Pakistan acknowledged fighting in border areas on Thursday, albeit disagreeing markedly on exact developments on the ground and the extent of each other's losses and gains. Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said that operations were taking place along the border with Pakistan in five provinces. The 2,611-kilometre long border between the two countries is known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognized. The Taliban's deputy government spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, claimed that "up to 55" Pakistani soldiers have been killed, with the remains of 23 of them brought back to Afghanistan, and that an undisclosed number have been captured. The Taliban also claimed to have captured several Pakistani checkpoints in the border regions. What is Pakistan's version of events? Pakistan has disputed Kabul's claims on casualties, captures and territorial losses. The country's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that two Pakistani soldiers had been killed and three wounded. "A total of 133 Afghan Taliban are confirmed killed, more than 200 wounded. Many more casualties estimated in strikes in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar military targets." Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, a spokesman for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan's "patience has reached its limit" and said there is now "open war" with the Afghan Taliban. The two sides had also reported cross-border fire on Tuesday, but without casualties. https://p.dw.com/p/59UdMSkip next section Welcome to our coverageFebruary 27, 2026Welcome to our coverageSouth Asia on Friday woke up to escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad’s defense minister has declared an "open war" with the Afghan Taliban. On Thursday, the neighbors acknowledged fighting in border areas, reporting heavy ⁠losses and sharply differing tolls that could not be immediately verified. Pakistan's air force hit military facilities overnight after an offensive by Afghan Taliban forces, officials said early Friday, with targets struck in Kabul and the Kandahar and Paktia provinces. The Taliban has portrayed its offensive operations in the border region as a response to Pakistan’s airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Sunday, which Kabul deems an unauthorized incursion. Stay with us as we get you the latest reports and analyses on the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict as it unfolds. https://p.dw.com/p/59UcyShow more posts