Pakistan has launched unprecedented airstrikes directly targeting Taliban-controlled sites in Afghanistan, marking a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two neighbours. The attacks hit key locations including Kabul, Kandahar, and several other provinces, in retaliation for alleged Afghan support of militants attacking Pakistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strikes caused civilian casualties, though specifics remain undisclosed. Witnesses in Kabul reported thick black smoke rising from impacted sites, accompanied by massive blazes and continuous explosions from an ammunition depot.

Taxi driver Tamim described the chaos: a plane dropped two bombs before fleeing, igniting secondary blasts that sent panicked residents fleeing their homes.

Pakistan's security sources described the operation as air-to-ground missile assaults on Taliban military offices and posts. This followed Afghan drone strikes late Thursday on Pakistani positions along their shared border in the northwest. The violence stems from long-standing accusations that Afghanistan harbours Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters plotting assaults on Islamabad.

Pakistan claims TTP leaders use Afghan soil as a safe haven, a charge Kabul denies while countering that Pakistan deflects blame for its internal security woes. The United Nations notes links between the Afghan Taliban and TTP, but Afghanistan insists it does not shelter anti-Pakistan militants.

Casualty figures are stark and unverified: Pakistan reports killing 274 Taliban officials and militants, while Afghanistan claims 55 Pakistani soldiers dead. Both sides confirm losses—Pakistan admits 12 soldiers killed, and the Taliban reports 13 of its fighters slain.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared an "open war," stating the nation's patience had overflowed. Islamabad's foreign ministry vowed a "measured, decisive and befitting response" to any further provocations or terrorist threats.

Despite the rhetoric, the Taliban signalled openness to dialogue. Mujahid emphasised that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan prefers resolving disputes through talks, maintaining its consistent stance on negotiation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalation and its toll on civilians. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, urged an immediate halt to hostilities and called for diplomatic resolution of differences.

The conflict risks igniting a prolonged war along the 2,600-km frontier. Pakistan's superior military, including nuclear capabilities, contrasts with the Taliban's guerrilla expertise honed over decades against US-led forces before their 2021 return to power.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi engaged Qatar's junior foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi by phone. Qatar, which mediated a ceasefire last year alongside Turkey and Saudi Arabia after October clashes that killed dozens, is again coordinating international efforts.

Afghanistan reiterated its aversion to violence, with Muttaqi stressing mutual understanding and respect. Nearly half of Afghanistan's 22 million people already require humanitarian aid, a figure poised to surge if fighting intensifies.

This flare-up underscores enduring border tensions, potentially destabilising South Asia further amid regional geopolitical strains.

Reuters