Escalation After Months of Calm
Violence has surged along the 2,600-kilometre mountainous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan after months of relative calm. Early Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities, declaring “open war” in response to Taliban attacks on its border positions.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad’s patience with the Taliban had “run out.” Pakistan’s military reported that Operation Ghazab lil Haq (“Righteous Fury”) killed 133 Taliban fighters and struck key military targets in Kabul and Kandahar, home to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban confirmed attacks on three provinces and claimed retaliatory strikes on Pakistani positions, while Kabul reported eight soldier casualties. Reports also suggest Pakistan has seized several border posts and raised its flag over them.
Deep-Rooted Causes of the Conflict
At the heart of the tensions is Pakistan’s claim that the Taliban shelters Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, who launch attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP, formed in 2007, seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and enforce its interpretation of Islamic law. It carried out over 1,000 violent incidents across Pakistan in 2025 alone.
Although formally separate, the TTP shares ideological and social ties with the Afghan Taliban, raising Islamabad’s security concerns. In addition, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has intensified operations in recent years. Provinces along the border, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, have borne the brunt of the violence. The Durand Line remains a contentious border, which Afghanistan has never formally recognized, citing the division of Pashtun populations.
Regional Politics and India Factor
Analysts suggest Pakistan’s growing frustration is also tied to Afghanistan’s perceived closeness to India. Defence Minister Asif accused the Taliban of turning Afghanistan “into a colony of India” and warned that ignoring Pakistan’s security concerns could have consequences. He stressed Pakistan has long hosted millions of Afghan refugees and declared that “our cup of patience has overflowed.”
The Taliban rejected these allegations, insisting Afghan territory has not been used against any country and framing the TTP as an internal Pakistani issue. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have faced six Pakistani airstrikes, and despite a Qatar-brokered ceasefire in October 2025, clashes and sporadic exchanges of fire have continued. Recent peace talks in November failed to produce a lasting agreement, leaving the border region on edge once again.
