February 27, 2026
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated sharply this week after days of cross-border clashes that Islamabad described as an “open war” with the Afghan Taliban. Islamabad said it had launched airstrikes and ground operations against Taliban-linked positions in and around Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia provinces in response to attacks originating from Afghan territory.
What officials say
– Pakistan’s information minister reported only two soldiers killed and three wounded, while a spokesman for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed Pakistani strikes had killed 133 Taliban fighters and wounded more than 200. Pakistani authorities accused militants based in Afghanistan of carrying out recent attacks inside Pakistan, including deadly suicide bombings.
– Afghanistan’s Taliban-run defence ministry reported operations along five border provinces, saying its forces had inflicted heavy losses on Pakistani troops, killed up to 55 soldiers and returned the remains of 23. The ministry also said several Pakistani checkpoints had been captured. Neither side’s casualty totals could be independently verified.
Border and civilian impacts
– Fighting resumed at key crossings such as Torkham, where AFP journalists observed incoming shellfire after a temporary lull. Although the crossing has been used to return Afghans from Pakistan, the land border has largely been closed since deadly clashes there in October.
– Pakistan has intensified deportations in recent months, saying it has targeted more than 700,000 Afghans who left after the Taliban returned to power. Officials said refugees at Torkham were moved to safer locations amid the latest fighting.
Background
– Relations have been strained since October’s confrontations that killed more than 70 people on both sides. Multiple ceasefires and talks brokered by Qatar and Turkey have failed to produce a lasting settlement.
– Islamabad accuses Afghan authorities of not acting decisively against militant groups—most notably the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatists—who it says operate from Afghan soil. Pakistan has framed recent strikes as retaliation for a string of attacks inside its borders, including a mosque bombing in Islamabad claimed by the ISIS-K affiliate.
International reactions and diplomacy
– Pakistan’s defence minister said the country’s “patience has reached its limit” and framed the confrontation as an open conflict with the Afghan Taliban. Iran offered to help mediate talks between the two capitals, while China expressed deep concern and urged restraint and an immediate ceasefire. Saudi Arabia has previously helped negotiate the release of Pakistani soldiers captured in October.
Verification and outlook
– Reporting is hampered by competing claims and restricted access along the 2,611-kilometre Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognized. International outlets including DW and others are monitoring developments as diplomats call for de-escalation. With heavy weaponry and airstrikes reported on both sides, the situation remains volatile and civilian movements and humanitarian concerns are rising.