The two countries have a long-standing dispute over the Durand Line border, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militants, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Afghanistan accusing Pakistan of interfering in its internal affairs.
Recent clashes have led to casualties on both sides, with Pakistan conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan, claiming to target TTP militants. The situation is further complicated by Pakistan’s efforts to fence the border, which Afghanistan opposes, citing unresolved border disputes.
The rivalry between the two countries is also influenced by regional dynamics, including China’s growing interest in Afghanistan’s resources and Pakistan’s role. The latest wave of violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan started with Pakistan’s airstrikes in Kabul and Paktia on Sunday night and morning.
This escalation is part of an ongoing conflict, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militants, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Afghanistan accusing Pakistan of interfering in its internal affairs and violating its sovereignty.
The Taliban government claims to have launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani military installations in response to Pakistan’s overnight airstrikes. Meanwhile, reports from eastern Afghanistan indicate Pakistani warplanes have bombed several areas in Nangarhar province, including the airport.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Defense Ministry announced today that it has shot down a Pakistani warplane. Nangarhar security spokesperson, Seyed Tayyab Hamad, said Afghan forces downed the plane, and the ministry shared video footage of the incident on X.
Pakistan hasn’t commented on the downed plane yet. The latest escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan started with Pakistan’s airstrikes in Kabul and Paktia, with the Taliban reporting 18 civilian deaths, while Pakistan claims to have killed dozens of militants.
Both sides are making claims of heavy casualties. The Taliban-led government says Pakistan’s forces killed 52 civilians and injured 66 others in various Afghan provinces over the past week.
Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat says the casualties occurred in Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost, Kunar, and Kandahar provinces due to Pakistan’s air and ground attacks.
Fitrat adds that the casualties include mostly women and children. He also claims eight civilian homes were completely destroyed and 14 others damaged in the Pakistani military attacks.
Pakistan denies targeting civilians, claiming to have mainly targeted TTP and IS-K militant hubs in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, claims their forces have killed 331 Afghan Taliban and injured over 500, and destroyed or captured several military posts in Afghanistan.
The minister didn’t comment on Pakistani forces’ casualties. The Taliban’s Defense Ministry says their air force attacked Pakistani military bases in Miranshah and Spin Wam last night, destroying the targets. The Taliban’s Defense Ministry claims to have launched air and ground attacks on Pakistani posts along the Durand Line, inflicting casualties on Pakistani soldiers. The ministry says the Miranshah and Spin Wam military bases were destroyed.
Khost Taliban spokesperson, Mustaghfir Gurbaz, claims their forces inflicted heavy losses on Pakistani forces across the Durand Line, destroying several posts. These claims can’t be independently verified.
A drone strike in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has injured 5 civilians, according to local police and residents.
A Bannu police official, speaking anonymously, told, on February 28 that the attack occurred in Miran area the previous night. The official says it’s unclear who carried out the attack. Locals have previously claimed civilian casualties in government drone strikes and mortar attacks, while authorities maintain they’re taking measures to ensure civilian safety during anti-militant operations.
A Miramshah police control room official, speaking anonymously, told a missile was fired from nearby mountains, hitting Mir Ali bazaar and damaging several shops. Luckily, there were no casualties since the shops were empty. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar has declared an emergency.
Pakistan’s newspaper reports that Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar has declared an emergency due to the escalating conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hospitals in North Waziristan have also declared emergencies.
Security measures have been tightened in Bannu and D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amid the escalating tensions. According to Pakistani media, a curfew has been imposed in D.I. Khan from 6 pm, and a state of emergency has been declared in Bannu.
The human rights organization IHRF has expressed concern over civilian casualties, stating they’ve found evidence that Pakistani forces targeted civilians in Dand-e-Patan, Paktia province, near the Durand Line on Friday evening,
The organization has shared photos of killed children on X and says 4 civilians were killed and 16 injured. They’re condemning the targeting of civilians in the conflict and calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The Taliban’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, says 19 Afghan civilians were killed and 26 injured in recent clashes in Khost and Paktika provinces. Most of the casualties are women and children.
He also stated that Pakistani forces targeted civilian homes in Asadabad and Nari districts of Kunar, killing 11 civilians and injuring 6 others.
The US has advised its citizens in Pakistan to exercise caution due to the ongoing conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. US Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed condolences over civilian casualties in the Pakistan-Taliban conflict, saying the US is closely monitoring the situation.
Several countries and officials have urged both sides to cease hostilities and engage in peace talks. EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has called on both countries to avoid escalating the conflict and negotiate.
The European Union has issued a statement urging the Taliban government and Pakistan to immediately end the violence between the two countries. The EU has issued a statement expressing concern over escalating air strikes and attacks along the border, saying it could have serious regional implications. They urge both sides to negotiate and respect international humanitarian law, protecting civilians and infrastructure.
Iran had also expressed concern over the escalation of conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan through a statement by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for an immediate ceasefire, expressing deep concern over the escalation of fighting between the two countries.
The UAE has expressed deep concern over the resumption of clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, urging both sides to exercise restraint and avoid escalating violence that could destabilize the region further. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry emphasizes prioritizing prudence and diplomacy to resolve differences. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry stresses that dialogue is crucial for strengthening security and stability in South Asia.
Pakistan’s Punjab police have intensified operations
Punjab police spokesperson says over 32,000 Afghan nationals have been deported from Punjab so far, with around 90 currently in temporary holding facilities awaiting deportation. Punjab police have heightened security measures to ensure removal of undocumented Afghan nationals.
