Afghanistan and Pakistan in military conflict

Afghanistan announced the completion of a military operation against Pakistan. On Friday night, according to the country's defense minister, Pakistani air forces struck Kabul. He declared the start of open war with Afghanistan, accusing it of exporting terrorism. According to Afghan military sources, retaliatory strikes killed 55 Pakistani soldiers, with several taken alive as prisoners. Two military bases and 19 military outposts were captured. Kabul reports that both sides suffered casualties: eight Afghan military personnel were killed and another 13 injured. Additionally, according to Afghanistan, Pakistan attacked a refugee camp in Nangarhar, injuring 13 civilians. The Afghan command stated that 'all operational objectives were achieved with precision and courage' and emphasized: 'any violation of territory will be met with fire, steel, and revenge.' Earlier, Pakistan's defense minister had declared open war with Afghanistan. Experts assess that the current escalation differs from previous incidents in its use of air forces and the harshness of rhetoric, shifting toward systematic airstrikes and framing the conflict as a full-fledged interstate war.

Context

The events occurred after several years of conflict, but previously armed clashes had not escalated into open war.