Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘War’ LIVE: Afghanistan open to talks after Pakistan strikes; two blasts rock Jalalabad city

Pakistan’s defence minister has said the country is in a state of “open war” with Afghanistan, underscoring the deep and complex tensions between the two neighbours that trace back to Pakistan’s formation in 1947.

Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, after Pakistan said it was in “open war” with its eastern neighbor.

Pakistan claimed more than 300 Afghan forces had been killed since fighting erupted Thursday night during a broad Afghan cross-border attack into Pakistan. Afghanistan rejected the figures as false. The casualty figures provided by either side could not be independently confirmed. (AP)

A Pakistani fighter jet crashed in Jalalabad in Afghanistan's east, the Afghan military and police said on Saturday, after Islamabad launched air strikes on at least three cities in a flare-up of cross-border fighting, AFP reported.

Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more Afghan military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, killing over 300 Afghan forces in dayslong border clashes, AP reported.

Two loud explosions rocked Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday morning, an AFP journalist said, a day after Pakistani air strikes hit other Afghan cities.

The AFP journalist heard a jet overhead before blasts from the direction of the airport in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, which sits on the road between Kabul and the Pakistani border.

Pakistan's military said on Friday that 274 Afghan militants were killed and more than 400 were injured in cross-border clashes since Thursday.

While responding to a question on Pakistan waging an "open war" against Afghanistan and whether he would intervene to stop the fighting, US President Trump said, “I would, but I get along with Pakistan very well, very, very well. You have a great Prime Minister, you have a great General there. You have a great leader, two of the people that I really respect a lot, and I think that Pakistan is doing terrifically well.”

UN chief is "deeply concerned by the escalation of violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the impact that violence is having on civilian populations. He calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and he reiterates his call on the parties to resolve any differences through diplomacy," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing Friday, as per news agency PTI.

Afghanistan said it is open to negotiations after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on several major cities, with Islamabad's defence minister declaring the two countries in "open war" following months of escalating tensions and reciprocal attacks, as reported by Al Jazeera.

On Friday, Pakistan carried out strikes on Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, and other towns, while fighting continued along the border, with both sides reporting significant casualties.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed the Taliban government provides “safe havens, training and facilitation” to militants who cross into Pakistan to carry out attacks.

He said recent “unprovoked attacks” from Afghanistan were met with an effective military response by Pakistan, resulting in the “neutralisation of attackers and the capture of several enemy posts.”

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar launched a sharp attack on the Taliban’s governance, claiming the regime “institutionalises slavery and orchestrates the systematic erasure of women and minorities.”

“The Afghan Taliban regime is based on a system of repression,” he said, adding that its actions and interpretation of religion have “nothing to do with Islam.”

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused Afghanistan’s Taliban regime of backing militant violence against Pakistan.

He alleged there is an “undeniable nexus” between the Afghan Taliban and terrorist organisations operating on Pakistani soil.

Tarar claimed the Taliban government provides support and facilitation to militants involved in cross-border attacks.

China also expressed concern over the escalation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, speaking at a regular press briefing, urged both sides to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible following the clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, as reported by ANI.

Red Cross president calls for ‘de-escalation’ in Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict, AFP reported.

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, stretching 2,611 km and called the Durand Line, has not been officially recognised by Kabul.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve the dispute through dialogue during Ramadan. He said that Tehran is prepared to facilitate these discussions, AP reported.

Russia has urged an immediate ceasefire and a diplomatic solution to the conflict, AFP reported, citing Russian diplomat Zamir Kabulov, who spoke to RIA Novosti. As President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Kabulov indicated that Moscow would consider mediating between the two nations if requested.

According to a Bloomberg report, the renewed violence poses a new challenge for China, which has tried to act as a mediator between the two countries and defend its economic influence in the region. China has strong ties and billions of dollars worth of investments in Pakistan through its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and has also increased its engagement with the Afghan Taliban since they returned to power.

Pakistan's foreign ministry states that any further provocation by the Taliban will be met with a befitting response, Reuters reported.

Pakistan's military spokesperson stated that the operation is ongoing under the prime minister's instructions, Reuters reported.

Pakistani air strikes targeted a weapons depot on the western outskirts of Kabul overnight. This caused hours of secondary explosions that shook homes throughout the Afghan capital, intensifying residents' fears of more violence, Reuters reported.

Afghanistan aims to resolve its recent conflict with Pakistan through dialogue, Reuters reported, citing Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Friday.

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, stretching 2,611 km and called the Durand Line, has not been officially recognised by Kabul.

The core of the dispute focuses on Pakistan's ongoing claim that Afghanistan is not taking sufficient action to combat the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), AFP reported.

Pakistan claimed that its anti-drone systems intercepted all drones, causing no loss of life following an attack by the Afghan Taliban, Reuters reported, citing Pakistan's Information Minister.

The Afghan Taliban launched drone attacks on Pakistani targets, Reuters reported, citing a Taliban spokesperson.

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities stated they carried out attacks on Pakistani military positions along their border, in response to Pakistani airstrikes last week. This escalation in violence between the two countries has made the Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear more fragile.

China is closely following the developments of the situation, Chinese media Global Times reported.

“Pakistan and Afghanistan are close neighbours, and both are neighbouring countries of China. As a neighbour and friend, China is deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict and deeply saddened by the casualties caused by the conflict,” Chinese FM spokesperson Mao Ning was quoted as saying on Friday.

Mao said that China supports combating all forms of terrorism and calls on both sides to exercise calm and restraint, properly resolve their differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and realize ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid more suffering, adding that this serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and will help uphold peace and stability in the region.

"China has been mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan through its own channels and stands ready to continue to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation and improving relations between the two countries," Mao said.

Russia, the only country to formally recognise the Taliban government, called for an end to hostilities and said it would consider mediating talks if asked by both parties, state media reported citing Moscow's foreign ministry.

State media Pakistan TV reports that the Pakistan Army has seized several posts in Afghanistan in a “decisive victory”. In a post on X, shared by Dawn, the outlet said that the forces had inflicted “heavy losses at key locations”.

According to Reuters, a state-run media outlet from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar, Bakhtar News Agency, shared an image of what it said was a battalion of suicide attackers, and quoted an Afghan security source as saying the bombers were equipped with explosive vests and car bombs and were prepared to strike major targets.

Russia urges Pakistan and Afghanistan to halt cross-border attacks immediately and resolve their differences through diplomatic means, the RIA news agency reported on Friday, citing the foreign ministry.

“Once again I call for calm and respect for international human rights & humanitarian law, in particular the protection of civilians, in the current tensions between #Pakistan and #Afghanistan which have very regrettably flowed into violence. Immediate de-escalation is essential,” UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett posted on X.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said overnight that 55 Pakistani soldiers had been killed, including some whose bodies were taken into Afghanistan, and that “several others were captured alive.”

It said eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 wounded. The ministry said it destroyed 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases and that the fighting ended around midnight, about four hours after it began Thursday.

However, Pakistan-based Dawn reported that “two Pakistani security personnel have been martyred in the ongoing clashes.”

Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied that any Pakistani soldiers had been captured.

In a post on X, he said at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed, and more than 200 were wounded.

He also said 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine fighters captured. He did not specify where the casualties occurred but said additional losses were estimated in strikes on military targets in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.

An Amu Radio reporter says that the ongoing fighting at Torkham has stopped, but last night Pakistani militias opened fire on Afghan refugees, resulting in a number of refugees being wounded.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Human Rights chief Volker Türk have both commented on the unfolding situation, according to the BBC.

Guterres urged both nations to adhere strictly to their obligations under international law, specifically emphasising international humanitarian law, it said.

Meanwhile, Türk has appealed for dialogue between the two countries

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned Pakistan airstrikes and said, "Afghans will defend their beloved homeland."

"The Pakistani aircraft once again bombed Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. The Afghans will defend their beloved homeland with complete unity in all circumstances and will respond to aggression with courage. Pakistan cannot free itself from the violence and bombings—those problems it has created itself—but must change its own policy and choose the path of good neighborliness, respect, and civilized relations with Afghanistan," Hamid Karzai posted on X.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X, "In the blessed month of Ramadan, the month of self-restraint and strengthening solidarity in the world of Islam, it is fitting that Afghanistan and Pakistan manage and resolve their existing differences within the framework of good neighborliness and through the path of dialogue."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to provide any assistance in facilitating dialogue and strengthening understanding and cooperation between the two countries," he said

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the Afghan Taliban regime for targeting the "civilian population," the ministry said in a statement on X.

The statement added, "Pakistan's armed forces have delivered a crushing response to the Afghan Taliban's open aggression. The cowardly enemy struck in the cover of night. The Afghan Taliban made a reprehensible attempt to target innocent civilians."

Mohsin Naqvi further said, "The aggression of the Afghan Taliban is intolerable. Pakistan's brave armed forces are on high alert at all times for the defense of the homeland. The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces. The Afghan Taliban have committed a horrific mistake by launching an attack. They will have to face serious consequences. We will not allow any harm to come to our security."

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities had said they launched attacks against Pakistan’s military positions along their border in response to Pakistani air strikes last week in the latest escalation of violence between the neighbouring countries that made a Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear increasingly shaky.

Pakistan said it has killed over 130 Taliban fighters as it launched a retaliatory operation in response to the alleged border attacks by the Afghan Taliban, news agency PTI reported.

Pakistan has launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban after “unprovoked firing” from across the border, Pakistan-based media Dawn reported on Friday.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday declared "open war" on the Taliban government, after both sides clashed.

"Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you," Khawaja Asif posted on X, according to news agency AFP on Friday.

The Ministry of National Defence of Afghanistan was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory operations carried out on Thursday.

The ministry said that Afghan forces targeted Pakistani military posts in the eastern and southeastern directions along the Durand Line, near the provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan.

"In these retaliatory operations along the Durand Line, a total of 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, two bases and 19 posts were captured," the statement said.