Developing: Pakistan Declares 'Open War' on Afghanistan as Airstrikes Hit Kabul and Taliban Launch Cross-Border Offensive
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared the country is in 'open war' with Afghanistan on February 27, 2026, following a dramatic escalation of cross-border hostilities that has seen Pakistani airstrikes hit the Afghan capital Kabul and at least 21 other locations across the country. The declaration came hours after Taliban forces launched what they described as 'extensive preemptive operations' against Pakistani military positions along the 2,611-kilometer Durand Line. 'Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you,' Asif stated, accusing the Taliban government of harboring the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group responsible for a wave of deadly attacks inside Pakistan. The Pakistani military said it struck 22 locations across Afghanistan, including targets in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Jalalabad, Khost, Paktika, and Laghman provinces. The escalation marks the most serious military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, and has drawn urgent calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, China, Russia, Turkey, and Qatar. Casualty figures remain heavily disputed, with both sides claiming significant enemy losses while the full civilian toll remains unclear.