The regional conflict spans the entire Middle East.
The Taliban "gathered terrorists from around the world and began exporting terrorism," said Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, emphasizing that this occurred after the withdrawal of American troops and NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2021. He also announced the start of an "open war" with Afghanistan, which he referred to as a colony of India. RTVI.US examined what is happening in the region.
Asif noted that Pakistan "made every effort to maintain stability, acting directly and through friendly countries." He also reminded that in the past, Pakistan played a "positive role" by hosting millions of Afghan refugees. Now, however, Pakistan is forced to respond militarily to the actions of Afghanistan, which, according to the Pakistani side, is exporting terrorism.
"After the withdrawal of NATO troops, it was expected that peace would prevail in Afghanistan and that the Taliban would focus on the interests of the Afghan people and regional stability. However, the Taliban turned Afghanistan into a colony of India. <…> Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is an open confrontation. Decisive actions will follow. The Pakistan Army did not come from afar — we are your neighbors and know your reality well," Asif wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
As reported by The New York Times, Pakistan accuses the Afghan government of harboring members of the radical organization Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. This group is reportedly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani security personnel. In November of last year, it claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack in a courthouse in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people.
The Taliban, in turn, accuses the Pakistani leadership of trying to shift the blame for the deteriorating security situation within the country onto Afghanistan.
The minister's statements came just hours after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on the Afghan capital Kabul, as well as in the southern province of Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktia. Pakistan claims that the strikes were a response to cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.
Afghan television channel Ariana News reported on Friday that Kabul struck a supposed nuclear facility in Pakistan and a military base in the Abbottabad area. According to the channel, there are "hundreds of dead and wounded."
"We are aware of the recent escalation of tensions and outbreak of hostilities between the Taliban and Pakistan and continue to closely monitor the situation," noted the U.S. Mission in Afghanistan operating from Qatar.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated in recent months, with mediation attempts by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey proving unsuccessful. Land border crossings have effectively been closed following deadly clashes in October, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of soldiers and civilians on both sides, the Washington Post reports.
The latest escalation began when Afghan forces launched an offensive on Pakistani positions allegedly in response to recent airstrikes by Islamabad, which, according to Afghanistan, resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people. Afghan troops were deployed along the Durand Line — a disputed border stretching approximately 1,600 miles (2,570 km).
According to Tolo News, 55 Pakistani servicemen were killed during a four-hour battle, with two headquarters and 19 checkpoints captured. On the Afghan side, eight soldiers were reported killed and 11 wounded. These figures differ from the claims of the other side — Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that at least 133 Afghan servicemen were killed, with over 200 wounded. He claimed that 27 Afghan checkpoints were destroyed, and nine others came under the control of Pakistani forces.
As noted by the New York Times, against this backdrop, Afghanistan and Pakistan are preparing for the repercussions of U.S. strikes on neighboring Iran, which could affect trade and lead to a flow of refugees. In this conflict, the Taliban are expected to side with Iran. Two weeks ago, Afghan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Afghans are ready to cooperate with Iran if the U.S. begins military operations, but emphasized that the government is not interested in a conflict between the two countries.
