Pakistan Announces “Open War” With Taliban Government in Afghanistan

On 26/02/2026, the government of Pakistan announced that it had entered what officials described as an “open war” with the ruling authorities in Afghanistan following months of cross-border violence and militant attacks. The announcement came amid escalating tensions along the Durand Line, the disputed border separating the two countries. Pakistani officials said the decision followed a series of security incidents and armed confrontations involving militants operating from Afghan territory. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a statement declaring that the government’s “cup of patience has overflowed,” adding that diplomatic restraint had ended. In his remarks directed toward the Afghan authorities, he stated, “Now it is open war between us and you.” Pakistani officials said the escalation was linked to continued activity by the militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban administration of allowing to operate from Afghan territory. Pakistani authorities cited a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad among the incidents that heightened tensions. Later on 26/02/2026, the Pakistan Armed Forces announced the launch of a military campaign named Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq. According to government statements, the operation began after what Pakistan described as “large-scale offensive operations” by Afghan forces along the border earlier the same day. Pakistani officials said the operation involved airstrikes and other military actions targeting Taliban-linked facilities in several Afghan locations, including Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia Province. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information reported that the strikes targeted military installations, including a Taliban brigade headquarters, ammunition depots, and logistics facilities. Pakistani authorities stated that 297 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 450 wounded during the opening phase of the operation, although these figures had not been independently verified at the time of the announcement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Pakistani military possessed the capability to respond decisively to cross-border attacks and that the government would defend the country’s territorial integrity. Officials also highlighted Pakistan’s long history of hosting Afghan refugees, noting that millions of Afghans have lived in Pakistan since the late 1970s following successive conflicts in Afghanistan. The escalation prompted calls for restraint from international actors including the United Nations, as well as governments such as China and Iran. Pakistani officials stated that hostilities would continue unless the Afghan authorities took action against militant groups that Islamabad says are responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.