Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities and said the allies-turned-foes were in “open war.”
Pakistan struck the Afghan capital Kabul, the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, and other towns, a Taliban spokesman said. The attacks were its first direct strikes on Afghanistan’s government over allegations it harbours militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said there were civilian casualties on Friday but did not provide details. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always tried to resolve issues through dialogue, and now also we want to resolve this matter through dialogue,” Mujahid said.
Mujahid said Pakistani strikes hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday, following Afghan drone strikes on Pakistani military positions along their shared border.
Pakistan authorities said about 300 Afghan Taliban personnel and allied terrorist groups have been killed in ongoing operations, with over 450 injured. Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan destroyed 89 Taliban posts, captured 18 others, and eliminated around 135 tanks and armoured vehicles. The air force effectively targeted 29 locations across Afghanistan.
The strikes were part of a massive retaliatory operation, code-named Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched after Afghan forces attacked 53 sites along the 2,600-km border. Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry warned the Taliban to choose between supporting terrorist organisations—including Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Baloch Liberation Army, Daesh, and Al Qaeda—or siding with Pakistan. “Our choice is absolutely clear. It will always be Pakistan over everything,” he said.
The strikes raised fears of a prolonged conflict along the border. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned, “Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan).” Pakistan’s foreign ministry warned that any new Taliban provocations, or attempts by any “terrorist group” to target Pakistanis, would be met with a “measured, decisive and befitting response”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned by the escalation of violence” and the impact on civilians, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. “He calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and he reiterates his call on the parties to resolve any differences through diplomacy,” Dujarric added.
The United States expressed support for Pakistan. “The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks from the Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group,” a State Department spokesperson said, adding that the Taliban have failed to uphold counterterrorism commitments and allowed militant groups to destabilise the region.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for de-escalation and dialogue, reiterating that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten other countries and urging the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan.
Regional mediation efforts were underway. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered to mediate on X, saying Iran stands ready to facilitate dialogue and enhance cooperation between the two countries. Official sources said Saudi Arabia and Qatar were also working to bring peace; Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan spoke with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghan acting FM Amir Muttaqi. Turkiye was in contact with both sides. Qatar, which helped stop fighting between the two countries last year, was working with other nations to resolve the latest crisis, Afghanistan said.
“Afghanistan has never been a supporter of violence and has always preferred to resolve issues based on mutual understanding and respect,” Muttaqi told Khulaifi in their call, the statement said.
Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing the TTP and other terrorist groups to use Afghan soil for residence, training and logistics to carry out attacks against Pakistan. The Afghan side rejects the allegations and asks Pakistan to engage with militants directly.
