Pakistan,Afghanistan Escalation: Why Are Pakistan and Afghanistan Fighting?

UNS:Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply intensified following Pakistani air strikes on targets inside Afghan territory, including areas near the capital, Kabul, amid heavy clashes along the disputed Durand Line border.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad’s “patience has run out,” describing the situation as an “open war.” His statement came hours after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced what he called “large-scale offensive operations” against Pakistani military positions along the frontier.
The escalation follows weeks of cross-border exchanges, with both sides reporting casualties. Independent confirmation of the figures, however, remains unavailable.
Trigger for the Latest Escalation
Pakistani officials said Afghan forces attacked military posts near the border, prompting retaliatory air strikes inside Afghanistan. The first strike was reported in the early hours of Friday, after which Afghan forces responded with anti-aircraft fire.
Islamabad has named the operation “Ghazab lil Haq” (Righteous Fury), describing it as a campaign to neutralize militant threats operating from Afghan soil. Pakistani authorities maintain that armed groups hostile to Pakistan are based in Afghanistan and accuse the Taliban administration of failing to dismantle their networks.
Afghan officials, meanwhile, have condemned the strikes as a violation of national sovereignty and accused Pakistan of repeated cross-border incursions.
Longstanding Sources of Tension
Analysts point to three main causes behind the conflict:
Durand Line Dispute:
The 2,600-kilometre Durand Line remains contested. Pakistan recognizes it as the international border, while Afghan governments have historically rejected its legitimacy.
Militant Presence:
Pakistan accuses groups linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of launching attacks from Afghan territory. Kabul denies sheltering anti-Pakistan militants.
Strained Relations:
Despite past cooperation, relations between Islamabad and the Taliban authorities have deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, as security priorities diverged.
Conflicting Claims
Afghan officials have claimed heavy Pakistani military losses and the capture of border posts. Pakistan, however, says its strikes targeted Taliban command centres, ammunition depots, and logistical facilities in Kabul and Kandahar.
State-run Pakistani media said the operation aimed to reduce militant military capacity, while Afghan sources described the fighting as resistance against foreign aggression. Casualty figures from both sides remain unverified.
Diplomatic Context
During the escalation, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addressed an extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, focusing mainly on developments in Palestine. Observers say the timing reflects Pakistan’s wider diplomatic engagement during a period of regional instability.
Security experts warn that continued air strikes and ground operations risk turning localized clashes into a broader interstate conflict.
Outlook
Future developments will depend on military strategy, domestic political pressures in both countries, and possible mediation by regional powers. While full-scale war remains unlikely, analysts caution that sustained confrontation could destabilize both nations and the wider South and Central Asian region.
What began as border skirmishes has now become one of the most serious confrontations between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent years, with air strikes on urban areas marking a significant shift in the conflict’s intensity.