Recent Clashes Ignite New Violence
After months of relative calm along their 2,600-kilometre mountainous border, Pakistan and Afghanistan are once again embroiled in serious conflict. Early Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul and other cities, declaring “open war” after Taliban forces attacked Pakistani border positions.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad’s patience with the Taliban government had “run out.” Pakistan’s military claimed that Operation Ghazab lil Haq (“Righteous Fury”) killed 133 Taliban fighters and targeted key installations in Kabul and Kandahar, where Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada resides. The Taliban confirmed strikes across three provinces and said retaliatory attacks had begun. Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry reported eight soldiers killed. Reports also suggest Pakistan seized several border posts, raising its flag over them.
The Roots of the Conflict
At the heart of the tensions is Pakistan’s accusation that the Taliban harbours Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants who launch attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP, formed in 2007, aims to overthrow the Pakistani government and enforce its interpretation of Islamic law, carrying out over 1,000 violent incidents in 2025 alone.
Although distinct from the Afghan Taliban, the TTP maintains ideological and social ties, posing a major security concern for Islamabad. The long-contested Durand Line border remains a point of friction, with Afghanistan refusing formal recognition. Additionally, the Balochistan Liberation Army has increased operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, worsening border insecurity.
Regional Politics and the India Factor
Some analysts suggest Pakistan’s growing frustration is also tied to Kabul’s perceived closeness with New Delhi. Pakistan’s Defence Minister claimed the Taliban had turned Afghanistan “into a colony of India,” while ignoring Pakistan’s security concerns. He emphasized that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over decades and warned that its “cup of patience has overflowed.”
The Taliban have rejected these claims, insisting Afghan territory has not been used against any country and framing Pakistan’s TTP conflict as an internal issue. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan has conducted six airstrikes inside Afghanistan. While a Qatar-mediated ceasefire held after deadly clashes in October 2025, intermittent exchanges and failed peace talks in November leave the border tense and the risk of wider conflict looming.
