Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated dramatically, raising fears of a potential all-out war. The Taliban has deployed troops to the border and launched devastating artillery strikes on Pakistani military checkpoints, further intensifying the already volatile situation.
The Taliban claimed to have destroyed “several” Pakistani positions and mobilized battalions of fighters to respond to any retaliation from Islamabad. These attacks followed Pakistani airstrikes targeting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an ally of the Afghan Taliban, in eastern Afghanistan. Afghan officials reported that the strikes killed 46 civilians, including women and children, sparking outrage and promises of retaliation.
In a statement on Saturday, the Afghan Taliban declared that it had targeted multiple locations near the Durand Line, the disputed border between the two nations. A senior Taliban official, in an interview with The Telegraph, warned of escalating conflict, stating, “We don’t care if they have a nuclear bomb – we have faith and know that God is with us.”
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence has been placed on high alert, with additional forces ready to reinforce the border. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi cautioned Pakistan against underestimating Afghanistan’s capabilities, saying, “We will not forget Pakistan’s aggression on Afghan soil today.”
The current crisis underscores a sharp reversal in Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban. Islamabad, which had covertly supported the Taliban during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, now faces threats from both the Afghan Taliban and the TTP. The TTP, emboldened by weapons allegedly supplied by the Afghan Taliban and seized from retreating U.S. forces, has intensified its attacks on Pakistani soil since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021.
The Afghan Taliban’s defence ministry reported that it had successfully attacked and destroyed several Pakistani positions over the weekend. “We have dispatched several battalions to the border and are prepared for anything,” said a senior official. “We didn’t expel NATO only to be intimidated or humiliated by Punjabis.”
Pakistan, in turn, has accused Kabul of allowing militants to cross the border unchecked, a claim the Afghan Taliban vehemently denies. International concern over the escalating conflict has grown, with Russia calling for restraint and urging constructive dialogue to prevent further violence.
The region’s future remains uncertain as both nations brace for potential conflict. A Taliban interior ministry official confirmed that Kabul is evaluating its next steps should Pakistan continue its strikes. The specter of war looms large, with the situation threatening to spiral out of control unless both sides seek a diplomatic resolution.
