Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan as PM Says Forces Ready to ‘Crush’ Taliban

Published: 27 February 2026
The English Chronicle Desk
The English Chronicle Online

Pakistan launched a major military offensive against targets in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a serious escalation of tensions between the two neighbours. The strikes included air attacks on the Afghan capital, Kabul, and other provinces as Islamabad responded to what it described as “unprovoked aggression” by Afghan forces and militant groups along the shared border. The offensive comes amid rising conflict following months of intermittent clashes that have defied earlier attempts at ceasefires and diplomatic talks.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly declared that the country’s armed forces possess the capability to “crush any aggressive ambitions,” emphasising that Pakistan would defend its territorial integrity and security “decisively” against any threat. Sharif said the entire nation stood behind its military, asserting that peace remained Pakistan’s preference but that any act of belligerence would be met with forceful counter‑measures.

Officials in Islamabad said the latest military action, code‑named Operation Ghazab lil‑Haq (“The Wrath of Justice”), was launched after what Pakistan described as repeated attacks and cross‑border firing by Afghan Taliban fighters and other armed elements. Security sources reported that the Pakistan Army carried out a series of air and ground strikes, destroying multiple Taliban posts, ammunition depots and command centres, and inflicting significant casualties on insurgent forces.

According to Pakistani authorities, the operations targeted Taliban positions near the border and beyond, aiming to degrade their capability to stage attacks on Pakistani soil. Islamabad stated that the security forces had eliminated scores of fighters and forced militant elements to retreat or abandon key positions.

The Afghan government, led by the Taliban administration, confirmed that clashes had taken place and that forces on its side undertook retaliation against Pakistani military positions. Officials in Kabul disputed Pakistan’s account, asserting that some strikes hit civilian areas and caused casualties among non‑combatants, a claim denied by Pakistani authorities.

In separate statements, Pakistan’s defence leadership characterised the conflict as an “open war,” saying that Islamabad’s patience had been exhausted after a series of border incidents. Afghan officials called on the international community to push both sides toward de‑escalation to prevent further civilian harm and regional instability.

The conflict marks a sharp deterioration after a ceasefire had been previously mediated by Qatar and Turkey amid earlier skirmishes. Both nations now face rising casualties and displacement of civilians near border regions as hostilities continue. International actors, including the United Nations, have urged restraint and protection of civilians.

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