Pakistan bombs Kabul and Kandahar as Islamabad declares "open war" on Taliban government
Feb 27th 2026
After months of cross border clashes, Pakistan launched air strikes on major Afghan cities including Kabul and Kandahar on Feb 27, 2026, with Islamabad calling the confrontation "open war" against the Taliban government.
- On Feb 27, 2026 Pakistan launched air strikes on Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia saying it hit Taliban defence targets.
- Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared the situation an "open war" and Pakistan named the campaign Operation Ghazab lil Haq.
- Pakistan said it had killed more than 130 Taliban fighters while the Taliban spokesman said there were no casualties from the air strikes.
- The Afghan Defence Ministry reported eight Afghan soldiers killed in a land offensive and multiple civilians were wounded near the Torkham border crossing.
- The UN mission said earlier Pakistani strikes in Nangarhar and Paktika killed at least 13 civilians.
- Border crossings have been largely closed since October after months of tit for tat fighting and diplomatic efforts by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have not produced a lasting ceasefire.