Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live: Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘crush’ aggressors warning after strikes in Kabul

Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live updates: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said the country’s armed forces are fully capable of defeating any hostile move, following airstrikes on neighbouring Afghanistan.

“Our forces have the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions,” Sharif said, according to a post on the Pakistani government’s X page.

He added, “The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan armed forces,” signalling political backing for the military amid the escalating cross-border tensions.

Pak-Afghan ‘open war’ live updates: Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday described the strikes on Afghanistan as a “befitting response”, even as blasts and gunfire were reported in Kabul and Kandahar.

“Pakistan’s armed forces have given a befitting response to the Afghan Taliban’s open aggression,” Naqvi said, hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops. The Taliban government had described that cross-border action as retaliation for earlier deadly airstrikes, reported AFP.

Pak-Afghan ‘open war’ live updates: Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif on Friday declared “open war” against the Afghan Taliban government following the latest round of cross-border clashes.

“Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you,” Asif reportedly posted, as tensions spiralled after fresh fighting along the frontier.

Pak-Afghan clashes live updates: The latest flare-up appears to have been triggered by fresh Pakistani strikes on Sunday along the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan’s military said it had killed at least 70 militants in those operations.

Kabul rejected that claim, reportedly saying dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed instead. Afghanistan’s defence ministry said “various civilian areas” in eastern Afghanistan had been hit, including a religious madrassa and several homes, and described the strikes as a violation of its airspace and sovereignty.

The current escalation comes after months of simmering tensions between the two neighbours. Deadly border clashes in October, last year, left dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants dead on both sides, pushing relations to a low point.

The violence at the time followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan. In response, Islamabad carried out strikes deep inside Afghanistan, saying it was targeting militant hideouts.

Although a ceasefire brokered by Qatar largely held, both sides continued to exchange intermittent fire along the border. Several rounds of peace talks in November failed to yield a formal agreement, leaving the situation fragile.

Pak-Afghan clashes live updates: Pakistan has released its own figures from the latest round of fighting, sharply disputing Kabul’s claims. Information minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three others wounded in the clashes, reported AP. He added that 36 Afghan fighters had been reported killed.

Tarar said Pakistan was delivering a “strong and effective response” to “unprovoked firing” from Afghanistan, he said on X.

Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied Afghan claims that Pakistani soldiers had been captured.

In a subsequent post on X, he said at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded. He also claimed that 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine fighters captured.

Zaidi did not specify the locations of the casualties, but added that there would be “many more casualties estimated in strikes in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar military targets.”

Pak-Afghan clashes live updates: Afghanistan’s ministry of national defence has put out its version of the toll from the latest fighting along the Durand Line.

“In these retaliatory operations along the Durand Line, a total of 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, two bases and 19 posts were captured,” the statement said, reported ANI.

According to Kabul, the four-hour operation destroyed two Pakistani military bases and 19 posts, while soldiers allegedly fled from four other positions. The ministry also claimed that an enemy tank was destroyed and a large military transport vehicle was captured.

“During these operations, dozens of light and heavy weapons, ammunition, and military supplies were seized by Afghan forces,” it added.

On its own side, the Taliban government said eight Afghan fighters were killed and 11 others injured. It also alleged that 13 civilians were wounded in a missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.

Pak-Afghan clashes live updates: Pakistan carried out airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul, on Friday, sharply escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

Blasts were reported in Kabul and Kandahar, with AFP and AP journalists in both cities hearing explosions and fighter jets overhead.

The strikes came hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night – an action the Taliban government described as retaliation for earlier deadly air raids.

Pak-Afghan clashes live updates: The latest violence came after multiple Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan and repeated clashes along the frontier in recent months. Both militaries claimed they had killed dozens of soldiers in the fresh round of fighting.

“Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia (province) and Kandahar,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X. Soon after, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif escalated the rhetoric, declaring an “all-out confrontation” with the Taliban government.

“Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you,” he wrote on the social media platform.