Capitals, Feb. 27 (SANA) – Military tensions escalated sharply between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday following violent clashes near the Torkham border crossing, involving air strikes and artillery exchanges.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense announced it had carried out air strikes against Pakistani military targets in Islamabad and other areas, including sites near Faizabad, Nowshera, and Abbottabad, in response to earlier Pakistani attacks.
Pakistani forces, in turn, launched an air strike on the Afghan capital Kabul and targeted a military base in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in a post on X that his country’s patience had “run out,” threatening what he described as an “open war.”
Heavy casualties reported
Officials from both sides reported significant casualties. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that 133 people were killed and more than 200 injured on the Afghan side, with 27 military sites destroyed and nine positions seized.
Afghan authorities, meanwhile, said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, 23 detained, and weapons, a military headquarters, and 19 checkpoints seized.
Calls for restraint
As tensions widened, international calls for restraint intensified. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to respect international law, protect civilians, and resolve disputes through diplomatic channels.
Russia expressed concern over the escalation, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova calling on both countries to avoid confrontation and return to negotiations.
China also urged an immediate ceasefire, stressing the importance of restraint and dialogue.
The escalation follows renewed tensions over the past week and comes months after similar clashes in October, which ended with a temporary ceasefire brokered by Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
