“Open war” until the Taliban renounce terror

Conflicts between neighbors

Pakistan: “Open war” until Taliban renounce terror

Islamabad has long accused the Taliban of supporting terrorist groups. Now the conflict between the neighbors is escalating. Mediators are pushing for a ceasefire.

Tensions between the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated dramatically. After Afghan attacks on Pakistani positions in the border area on Thursday evening, Islamabad also carried out air strikes on the two largest Afghan cities, Kabul and Kandahar, on Friday. Both sides reported deaths and injuries. After the attacks, the Islamist Taliban ruling in Kabul insisted on a solution through dialogue, while Pakistan made clear demands on Afghanistan to stop the fighting.

Relations between the two neighboring countries have deteriorated in recent months due to allegations from Pakistan that Kabul is harboring terrorists who carry out attacks in Pakistan. Kabul vehemently denies this. The conflict flares up again and again in the form of direct military confrontations. Mediations for a sustainable peace failed after fighting and attacks last autumn.

The mutual attacks since Thursday evening have claimed victims on both sides. 13 Afghan security forces were killed and another 22 injured, said Taliban government spokesman Sabiullah Mujahid in Kabul. He also spoke of civilian casualties, including children and women. According to a Pakistani military spokesman, twelve Pakistani soldiers were killed and 27 others were injured. The information could not initially be independently verified.

At a press conference on Friday, Taliban spokesman Mujahid threatened further violence if Islamabad continued the war. At the same time, he emphasized that Afghanistan wanted to end the conflict through talks. “We have repeatedly emphasized a peaceful solution and continue to want the problem to be resolved through dialogue.”

However, the Pakistani side made no statements about a dialogue between the conflicting parties. Rather, Islamabad called on the Taliban to turn away from extremists in the neighboring country. As long as this does not happen, there will be no end to the ongoing Pakistani military operation. Kabul must decide whether to stand with Pakistan or with terrorist organizations, an army spokesman said. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had described the conflict with the neighboring country as an “open war” that night.

The fact that Pakistan also carried out air strikes on the province of Kandahar and Kabul and thus on targets in the interior of the country during the night is a new escalation. Kandahar is considered the political and spiritual center of power for the Taliban, who have been back in power in Afghanistan since August 2021. Its supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, usually stays there.

Kabul portrayed Thursday evening’s attacks as retaliation for earlier Pakistani attacks. The Pakistani Air Force attacked targets in the Afghan border area last weekend, citing a need for its own security. Islamabad also spoke of retaliatory attacks for several terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Islamabad believes its mastermind is on Afghan territory.