Pakistan’s government declared it is at war with Afghanistan’s Taliban administration following a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks linked to militant groups based in Afghanistan.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the country is in a state of “open war” after cross-border military actions and retaliatory strikes.
On February 21, the Pakistan Air Force carried out airstrikes in Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces targeting alleged Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and ISIS‑K camps.
Pakistan said those operations were retaliation for recent terrorist incidents inside Pakistan, including attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu that it attributed to groups operating from Afghan soil.
Afghan authorities answered with what they called a “cross-border” operation against Pakistani positions along the 2,600-kilometer Durand Line.
Reportedly footage of the Taliban sending reinforcements toward the Pakistan border following recent Pakistani air force strikes inside Afghanistan that killed 18 people (according to the Taliban anyway….).
It seems the US military equipment President Biden gave them is still… pic.twitter.com/4ah74wMHJZ
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) February 26, 2026
Operation Ghazab Lil Haq
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, described as “Righteous Fury,” which included strikes on military targets in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces.
Pakistani officials reported that the strikes killed more than 130 Afghan Taliban operatives and additionally claimed a total of 274 fighters killed.
Afghan officials acknowledged heavy casualties but offered conflicting numbers, according to a report from Reuters.
Leadership Statements
“Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you,” Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared in a statement on Friday.
Asif warned there would be “chaos and reckoning” in a follow-up comment blaming Afghanistan for precipitating the conflict.
Taliban officials said they remained open to negotiations even as clashes continued.
No immediate international response to the formal declaration of war has been reported at this time.
Historical Context and International Reaction
Pakistan has previously carried out strikes into Afghanistan, including March 2024 strikes in Khost and Paktika that targeted TTP hideouts and drew diplomatic protests after civilian casualties.
Comparable operations occurred in 2022 and 2023 amid a rise in TTP activity following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Tensions had been simmering since October 2025 when exchanges of fire along the border led to a fragile ceasefire that both sides later accused the other of breaching.
China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other regional players have urged restraint from both parties.
Afghanistan has filed a complaint with the United Nations seeking an immediate halt to Pakistani operations.
