Pak-Afghan war...more than 100 deaths

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified into open warfare along the Durand Line. After Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, the ruling Taliban condemned the attacks and launched retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military posts along the border. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced the counteroffensive on X. In response, Pakistani fighter jets reportedly bombed targets in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, with explosions and thick smoke seen in several areas.

Both sides have issued conflicting claims regarding casualties and damage. Pakistan stated that it killed 133 Taliban fighters and destroyed multiple Afghan military posts, while the Taliban claimed only eight of their fighters were killed and asserted that they had captured several Pakistani posts, killing dozens of soldiers. Pakistan, however, maintained that only two of its soldiers died. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared that a full-scale war with Afghanistan had begun, accusing Kabul of sheltering militant groups targeting Pakistan.

Amid the escalating violence, reports suggest that the Taliban have mobilized a suicide squad in Nangarhar, with images of fighters wearing explosive vests circulating in local media. The Taliban also claimed to have shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet, a claim Islamabad denied. Meanwhile, Iran has urged both nations to immediately halt hostilities and has offered to mediate to prevent further deterioration of the situation.