Pakistan Claims 133 Taliban Killed

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply following claims by Islamabad that 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in a series of military operations targeting sites in Kabul and Kandahar. The reported strikes mark one of the most serious cross-border confrontations between the two neighbouring states in recent years.

According to Al Jazeera, Pakistani forces carried out aerial bombardments in the Afghan capital, Kabul, as well as in Kandahar, a traditional stronghold of the Taliban movement. The attacks reportedly took place in the early hours of Friday.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, declared what he described as an “open war” against Afghanistan in a post on the social media platform X at 4:18 am local time. In his statement, he asserted that Pakistan had made every possible effort—both directly and through friendly nations—to de-escalate tensions and restore normalcy through full diplomatic engagement.

“Our patience has been exhausted,” he wrote. “Now there is open war between us.”

Casualty Claims and Verification

The spokesperson for Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Mosharraf Zaidi, stated on X that Pakistani operations had so far resulted in the deaths of 133 Afghan Taliban fighters, with more than 200 others injured. However, these figures have not been independently verified. BBC reported that it had been unable to confirm the casualty numbers.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Kabul, Naser Shadid, said that the first bombs were dropped at approximately 1:50 am local time, followed by additional strikes shortly thereafter. As of the latest reports, there were no confirmed details regarding civilian or military casualties within Kabul itself.

Key Reported Details

Diplomatic Fallout

The dramatic rhetoric employed by Pakistan’s defence minister has raised alarm among regional observers. An explicit declaration of “open war” suggests a significant deterioration in already fragile relations between the two countries, whose border regions have long been plagued by militancy, insurgency, and mutual accusations of harbouring hostile elements.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghan-based militants of staging cross-border attacks inside Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Kabul, for its part, has previously rejected allegations that it shelters anti-Pakistan armed groups.

Regional and International Concerns

The latest developments risk destabilising an already volatile region. Security analysts warn that direct military confrontation between Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan could have far-reaching consequences, including refugee displacement, disruption of trade routes, and heightened militant activity along the porous frontier.

With casualty figures unverified and both sides yet to issue comprehensive official briefings, the international community is likely to press for restraint and renewed diplomatic engagement. Whether the present escalation evolves into sustained conflict or is contained through back-channel negotiations remains uncertain.

For now, the situation stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace along one of South Asia’s most sensitive borders.