Pakistan declares ‘open war’ with Afghan Taliban after morning strikes on Kabul, Kandahar

South China Morning PostCenter-RightSCO 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseFebruary 27, 2026 at 02:01 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are in open conflict after Pakistan conducted air strikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia province on Friday. The strikes targeted what Pakistan claimed were Afghan Taliban defense targets. This followed attacks by Afghan forces on Pakistani border troops, which the Taliban government stated were in retaliation for earlier Pakistani air strikes. Both sides claim to have inflicted significant casualties on the other. Pakistani officials have declared an "open war" in response to what they describe as Afghan Taliban aggression. The situation marks a significant escalation of tensions between the two countries, with reports of jets, explosions, and gunfire in Kabul.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Paktia province 30% Mohsin Naqvi 40% Attaullah Tarar 50% Kandahar ×260% Kabul ×370% Afghanistan ×480% Afghan Taliban ×385% Pakistan ×690%

Keywords

afghanistan 90% pakistan 90% air strikes 80% taliban 80% border violence 70% open war 70% kandahar 60% kabul 60% military conflict 50% border troops 40%