Pakistan says it is in 'open war' with Afghanistan after casualties on both sides

Islamabad, Feb 27 (PTI) Pakistan on Friday said it was in an "open war" with Afghanistan after its forces killed more than 270 Taliban fighters and injured over 400 others in airstrikes in response to what Islamabad described as the cross-border attack by the Afghan Taliban.

Afghanistan's Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghan forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and targeted what he described as "important military objectives" inside Pakistan.

The Afghan Taliban attacked several check posts along the border late Thursday, apparently to avenge the air strikes carried out by Pakistan in Afghanistan's border areas on Sunday. Pakistan responded by hitting targets in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia under 'Operation Ghazab lil Haq' early Friday.

The 2,611-km-long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is known as the Durand Line, which Kabul has not formally recognised.

"Our patience has run out. Now there is an open war between us...Now it will be 'Dama Dam Mast Qalandar'. Pakistan's army did not come from across the seas. We are your neighbours; we know your ins and outs,” Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a post on X.

'Dama Dam Mast Qalandar' refers to a spiritual song associated with the Sindhi sufi saint Lal Shehbaz Qalandar. The phrase literally means “every breath is ecstasy of Qalandar’, but in common parlance, it refers to acting impulsively without considering the consequences.

Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistani forces "killed 274 Taliban personnel and khwarij, while another 400 were injured." Twelve Pakistani soldiers were killed, while 27 others injured, and one was missing in action, he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where he was given a detailed briefing on the current situation, Chaudhry said.

According to a handout by the PM Office, Shehbaz said that zero tolerance should be adopted against the nexus between the Afghan Taliban and 'Fitna al Khawarij' and its malicious actions. The term 'Fitna al Khawarij' is used for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

"The Afghan Taliban, who are A master proxy, launched unprovoked attacks at 53 locations in 15 sectors along the border in coordination with terrorists,” Chaudhry said, adding that Pakistan served an effective "brutal response" to the attacks.

The spokesperson said Pakistan destroyed 73 Afghan posts along the border while capturing another 18 posts, which are “in our possession”.

He said that a conservative estimate showed that at least 115 tanks, armoured personnel carriers and artillery pieces were destroyed.

He said the Afghan Taliban Corps Headquarters, Brigade Headquarters, Battalion Headquarters, and weapon depots were also destroyed in air attacks when jets hit targets at 22 places in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Khost, Paktika, and Laghman.

Taliban government spokesman Mujahid said that the recent strikes were intended to send a clear message that “our hand can reach their collar,” adding that any “malicious act” by Pakistan would be answered “in Islamabad.” Mujahid said that during last night’s retaliatory operations, 19 Pakistani military posts and two headquarters were seized. He claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others captured, Tolo News reported.

"Afghan forces recovered weapons, ammunition, one tank and a military transport vehicle. 13 Islamic Emirate soldiers were killed and 22 others wounded in the fighting,” he said.

Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan seeks peaceful relations with neighbouring countries, including Pakistan and India. “Our good relations with India are not directed against Pakistan,” he said, emphasising that the Emirate “has never been under the control of any country.” Chaudhry said that the Taliban came armed with quad-copters and small and big weapons, but the response by Pakistan was so effective that they were repulsed completely at all 53 places and “we gave effective response to target all 53 places”.

He said that the Afghan Taliban should choose between Pakistan and the terrorists.  “You have been hearing this lie since last night…At no place was any civilian infrastructure targeted. These are all military targets,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held telephone conversations with his Turkish and Saudi counterparts and exchanged views on the current situation.

During talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, "both leaders emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the region and agreed to stay closely engaged on evolving developments,” the Foreign Office said.

Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan "reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the region and agreed to stay closely engaged," it added.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year signed a joint defence agreement, pledging to come to the aid of each other in case of attacks by a third country.

China and Russia also expressed concern over the escalation and called on both sides to resolve their differences through diplomatic means, and reach a ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid more suffering.

"The Afghan Taliban made a terrible mistake by attacking. They will have to face serious consequences. We will not allow our security to be compromised," Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan would not compromise on peace and territorial integrity. "Our armed forces' response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response — and no one will be beyond reach," he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that Pakistani forces "are fully capable of crushing any aggressive ambitions." "There will be no compromise on the defence of the beloved homeland and every aggression will be met with a befitting reply," he added.

Defence Minister Asif said that following the withdrawal of NATO forces, there was an expectation of peace in Afghanistan, with the Taliban focusing on the development of the Afghan people and regional stability.

"However, the Taliban turned Afghanistan into a colony of India. They gathered all the terrorists of the world in Afghanistan and began exporting terrorism,” he alleged, without providing any evidence in support of his claim.

"They deprived their own people of basic human rights. They snatched away the rights that Islam grants to women.” Asif said that Pakistan made every effort to keep the situation normal through direct means and through friendly countries, and it also engaged in full-fledged diplomacy, but the “Taliban became a proxy for India”.

"Today, when attempts are being made to target Pakistan with aggression, our forces are giving a decisive response,” he said.

The Afghan Taliban has blamed the Pakistani army's aggressive actions, including airstrikes on Kabul, for the escalation of the conflict. PTI SH ZH ZH ZH