Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared that the country is in “open war” with Afghanistan following a series of overnight cross-border airstrikes.
Speaking to the press, Asif stated that “Islamabad’s patience has run out”, as tensions between the two neighbors escalated, with reports of casualties on both sides.
The escalation followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul and two other provinces, carried out just hours after Afghanistan launched its own cross-border attack.
Analysts note that tensions have intensified since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with mutual accusations of supporting militants and interfering in each other’s internal affairs.
