Lead: On Friday, 27 February 2026, Pakistan said it was in ‘open war’ with Afghanistan’s Taliban government after explosions were reported in Kabul and fighting spread along the Durand Line. Islamabad also said it struck targets inside Afghanistan’s Kandahar and Paktika provinces. The Taliban earlier announced ‘large-scale offensive operations’ along the border, saying their moves responded to Pakistani air strikes earlier this week. International actors have issued urgent calls for de-escalation and civilian protection as clashes continue.
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan declared an ‘open war’ on Friday, 27 February 2026, after cross-border clashes and reported strikes inside Afghanistan.
- Explosions were reported in Kabul; Pakistan says it conducted strikes in Kandahar and Paktika provinces.
- Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan was carrying out ‘large-scale offensive operations’ along the Durand Line.
- The UN Secretary-General urged immediate adherence to international humanitarian law and prioritized civilian protection.
- Regional powers including Iran, China, Russia, Qatar and Turkiye offered mediation or called for restraint; India strongly condemned Pakistan’s strikes.
- Pakistan’s defence leadership framed the response as decisive retaliation after alleged attacks on its territory.
- Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai called for unity in defense of Afghanistan and urged Pakistan to pursue good-neighbourly policies.
Background
The Durand Line, the porous and contested border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for cross-border militancy, intelligence operations and periodic military action. Both capitals accuse each other of supporting armed groups that carry out attacks across the frontier, a dynamic that has periodically produced spikes of violence. In recent months, tensions reportedly rose after a series of Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan; the Taliban says those strikes provoked its retaliatory operations this week.
Political relations are complicated by competing security priorities and differing international ties. Pakistan accuses India of supporting groups that undermine its security, an allegation New Delhi denies. China, Iran, Qatar and Turkiye have active diplomatic channels with one or both sides, creating a set of external actors who can either calm or complicate any escalation.
Main Event
Events accelerated on Friday when Islamabad publicly declared it was at war with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, describing its military actions as a decisive response to aggression. Pakistani officials said strikes hit targets in Kandahar and Paktika provinces; independent verification of the full scope of those strikes remains limited. Kabul reported explosions in the capital and mounting clashes along sections of the border.
The Taliban’s official spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced that Afghanistan was conducting ‘large-scale offensive operations’ along the Durand Line, framing those moves as countermeasures to what the movement described as earlier Pakistani incursions. Both sides exchanged strong public statements, and each portrayed the other as the initial aggressor.
On the Pakistani side, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad had exhausted diplomatic options and that its armed forces were now taking ‘decisive action’, describing the situation as a last-resort response to perceived attacks. In Afghanistan, former president Hamid Karzai called for national unity and vowed to repel aggression while urging Pakistan to pursue civilised, neighbourly relations.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate humanitarian risk is significant: urban explosions in Kabul and operations in southern Afghan provinces threaten civilian safety, displacement and disruption of basic services. If sustained, the fighting could produce refugee flows into Pakistan and internal displacement within Afghanistan, complicating regional humanitarian planning. International law obligations, especially protection of civilians, will shape the legitimacy of actions and determine international diplomatic responses.
Regionally, the clash tests competing foreign-policy priorities. China and Iran have signalled readiness to mediate, seeking to protect their economic and strategic interests. Russia and Turkiye offered diplomatic channels; Qatar, which hosts Taliban and Pakistani interlocutors, has also engaged. India condemned Pakistan’s strikes, adding an additional diplomatic layer that could harden postures on both sides.
Economically, sustained conflict risks disrupting trade routes and investment plans in a region where recovery and infrastructure projects are sensitive to security. A protracted confrontation could also complicate counterterrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing that many regional and global actors rely on to manage transnational threats.
Comparison & Data
| Location | Claimed Action | Actor |
|---|---|---|
| Kabul | Explosions reported | Unverified reports |
| Kandahar | Strikes reported by Pakistan | Pakistan military |
| Paktika | Strikes reported by Pakistan | Pakistan military |
The table summarizes the principal locations named in official statements. Independent, on-the-ground verification remains limited; open-source imagery and NGO reporting will be important to corroborate claims as they emerge.
Reactions & Quotes
The UN is closely monitoring developments and calls on both parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians.
UN Secretary-General (statement delivered by spokesperson)
Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war. Now there will be decisive action.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (social post)
Afghanistan is carrying out large-scale offensive operations along the Durand Line in response to recent strikes.
Zabihullah Mujahid (Taliban spokesperson)
Unconfirmed
- Precise casualty figures from strikes inside Kandahar and Paktika remain unverified and are based on official claims needing independent confirmation.
- Full details and locations of reported explosions in Kabul have not yet been corroborated by neutral monitors.
- Claims about the scope and targets of Taliban operations along the Durand Line await independent verification from multiple sources.
Bottom Line
This week’s escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan marks a dangerous intensification with immediate humanitarian and regional-security consequences. The mix of reciprocal public justifications and rapid military moves increases the risk of further outbreaks and wider involvement by external actors seeking to protect strategic interests.
International pressure for de-escalation and verified information will be crucial in the coming days. Observers should watch for independent casualty and damage assessments, humanitarian access commitments, and any diplomatic backchannels offered by China, Iran, Qatar or Turkiye that could produce a ceasefire or de-escalation framework.
Sources
- Al Jazeera (international news report)
- United Nations (official/Secretary-General communications)
- Reuters (international news agency)
- RIA Novosti (Russian state news agency)