‘Open war’ between Pakistan and Afghanistan: What we know

Nuclear-armed Pakistan has declared open war against former ally Afghanistan, whose western neighbor has resisted NATO aggression for years and has tried to drag its archrival India into the escalating conflict.

Islamabad said the latest escalation of violence between the estranged neighbors was triggered after Afghan Taliban forces fired on its border positions late Thursday night, killing two Pakistani soldiers and wounding three others.

During the NATO invasion of its western neighbor, Pakistan had a complicated relationship with Afghanistan, serving as a major logistics hub for Western forces and at the same time harboring and supporting the Taliban insurgency. Relations deteriorated after the Taliban took over and Islamabad accused Kabul of harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

What is the balance of power between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Militarily, Pakistan has vast superiority over war-torn Afghanistan. According to an NDTV report, Pakistan’s armed forces have 660,000 active personnel. This includes 560,000 army personnel, 70,000 air force personnel and 30,000 naval personnel.

The same source says the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has an estimated 172,000 fighters.

Open war, hidden hostility

Pakistan’s defense minister described the situation as open war. Media reports said multiple explosions occurred in the Afghan capital Kabul and at least three other provinces.

Khawaja Asif has tried to drag India into the escalating hostilities, saying that the Taliban regime has turned Afghanistan into a colony of New Delhi. India has previously dismissed similar allegations as baseless and baseless and is yet to respond to the latest allegation.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that some Pakistani fighter jets are still patrolling Afghan airspace. The media reported that there was shelling from both sides at the important Torcom crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Are casualties reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq (‘The Fury of Justice’) early Friday. Residents of Kabul told the media they heard multiple explosions. The exact locations of the explosions are not known.

The Associated Press reported that Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistani forces had carried out airstrikes in Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktia.

The ruling Taliban initially said there were no casualties and vowed to respond militarily to Pakistani attacks, its spokesman was quoted as saying by Al Arabiya.

How have Iran, China and regional powers responded to ‘open war’?

The escalation of the war has alarmed countries friendly to the warring nations, including Iran and China.

In a post on X, Iran’s foreign minister urged restraint on both sides and said it was ready to facilitate talks. Abbas Araghchi invoked the holy month of Ramadan to pacify warring Islamic nations.

Pakistan’s long-time ally China has expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning also called on both sides at a regular press conference to practice restraint. Chinese embassies in both countries are working to end further bloodshed, he said.

RIA reported that Russia urged both countries to stop the attack and seek diplomatic solutions.

Independent Afghan television channel Tolo TV reported that Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah spoke with his Pakistani counterpart. The channel reported quoting sources that a Pakistani plane was shot down after it entered Afghan airspace.

What is the chance of peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Bilateral relations between Islamabad and Kabul have recently soured. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of hosting militants opposed to its interests, who carry out attacks along its porous border with landlocked Afghanistan. The Taliban regime has denied the allegation.

Pakistan says it has hosted five million Afghan refugees. In 2023, Islamabad reportedly began a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. This led to millions of people crossing into Afghanistan. The United Nations has estimated that So far, 2.9 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan. According to UN estimates, 80,000 have returned to Afghanistan this year alone.