February 27, 2026
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply escalated, with Islamabad saying it is in “open war” with the Afghan Taliban after days of cross-border fighting that has seen airstrikes, ground operations and conflicting claims about casualties and territorial gains.
What happened
– Pakistan said its air force struck military facilities in Kabul and in Afghanistan’s Kandahar and Paktia provinces after offensive operations by Afghan Taliban forces. Islamabad accused militant groups operating from Afghan territory of mounting attacks inside Pakistan.
– Afghanistan’s Taliban-run defense ministry said operations were under way in five provinces along the border and claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Pakistani forces, including killing up to 55 soldiers and bringing back the remains of 23. The Taliban also said it captured several Pakistani checkpoints.
– Pakistan disputed those figures. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers had been killed and three wounded. A spokesman for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, said 133 Afghan Taliban had been confirmed killed and more than 200 wounded in strikes on military targets in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.
Border situation and civilians
– Fighting has resumed at key points such as the Torkham border crossing. AFP journalists reported incoming shellfire on the Afghan side around 09:30 local time after a lull in fighting. The crossing has remained open for Afghans returning from Pakistan, though the land border has been largely shut since October’s deadly clashes.
– Pakistan has stepped up deportations in recent months, targeting over 700,000 Afghans who fled after the Taliban’s return to power. Pakistani authorities said Afghan refugees waiting to return from Torkham were moved to safer places amid the latest clashes.
Background and drivers
– Relations between the neighbors deteriorated sharply after deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides. Several ceasefires and talks brokered by Qatar and Turkey have not yielded a lasting agreement.
– Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of not acting against militant groups that attack Pakistan from Afghan soil, notably the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups. Pakistan’s recent airstrikes were in part a response to a series of suicide bombings, including an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) regional affiliate.
Official statements and international responses
– Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s “patience has reached its limit” and declared the situation an “open war” with the Afghan Taliban.
– Iran offered to help “facilitate dialogue” between the two countries. China said it was “deeply concerned,” urged restraint and called on both sides to achieve a ceasefire and avoid further bloodshed. Saudi Arabia previously helped negotiate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured in October.
Verification and reports
– Both sides have reported heavy losses with sharply differing death tolls that could not be independently verified. The conflict is unfolding along the 2,611-kilometre Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognized.
– DW and other international outlets are monitoring developments as officials and diplomats call for de-escalation while clashes continue in border areas.