While the eastern Afghanistan military confirmed the reports, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman, Tahir Hussain Andrabi, told AFP, “That’s a false claim. Totally untrue.”
Read more: Pakistan Afghanistan war: Timeline of the conflict and reason behind latest tensionsThe latest tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated into what Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called an “open war” on the Taliban administration following a huge breakdown in diplomatic and border security coordination.
The reported downing marks a dramatic escalation in what has become the most serious armed confrontation between the two neighbours in recent months, with both sides exchanging airstrikes and cross-border attacks.
What happened in the last 24 hours
Afghanistan launched cross-border attacks into Pakistan across multiple provinces on Thursday night, February 26, describing them as retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes.Read more: Pakistan Afghanistan War: Full details on Islamabad’s Operation ‘Ghazab Lil Haq’ against Taliban
Pakistan had carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Sunday, February 22, saying it targeted militant hideouts. Afghan authorities, however, claimed the strikes killed civilians, including women and children.
In response to the Afghan cross-border operation, Pakistan conducted fresh airstrikes early Friday, February 27, targeting areas including Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. The renewed strikes triggered further clashes along the border.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared on Friday, February 27, that the country was now in an “open war” with Afghanistan, signalling a breakdown of the fragile Qatari-mediated ceasefire reached in October.
Heavy exchanges were reported along the 2,611-kilometre Durand Line, the contested frontier between the two countries, with artillery shelling and air activity intensifying in several sectors.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan
The immediate trigger for the escalation has been Pakistan’s repeated allegations that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operates from Afghan soil. Islamabad accuses Kabul of providing safe haven to the group responsible for a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan.
Kabul has denied the allegation, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against any country.
Recent months have seen a sharp rise in militant violence inside Pakistan, including suicide bombings and coordinated attacks on security forces. Islamabad says it can no longer tolerate cross-border militant threats.
The collapse of earlier ceasefire arrangements and failed talks have further strained relations. Skirmishes along the frontier have become more frequent, but the current round of strikes and the reported downing of a fighter jet mark a significant escalation.
The renewed hostilities have raised alarm internationally, with concerns that sustained fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan could destabilise an already fragile region where militant groups remain active.
Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan at war?
The Durand Line, the long-disputed colonial-era border, remains central to the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of cross-border militancy and violations of sovereignty.
Pakistan has alleged that Afghan Taliban forces began “unprovoked firing” across multiple sectors along the frontier, leading to casualties among its security personnel. Islamabad said its subsequent strikes were carried out in retaliation to safeguard territorial integrity.
Afghanistan, however, claimed its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and seized 19 military posts, including a headquarters at Anzar Sar in Khost province, according to The Dawn. Taliban authorities also reportedly said they were holding the bodies of 23 Pakistani soldiers.
Pakistan has rejected those claims. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three injured, while 36 Afghan fighters died in the clashes, describing Kabul’s figures as exaggerated.
