About 300 Afghan Taliban personnel, its allied terrorist groups killed: Pakistan
Pakistan launched major air strikes on multiple Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul, declaring what its Defence Minister Khawaja Asif termed as “open war” after months of rising hostilities between the two neighbours.
According to Pakistani authorities, the military action, codenamed Operation Ghazab lil Haq, was initiated following an overnight clash on February 26 when Afghan forces allegedly targeted Pakistani border troops. Islamabad claimed the strikes were part of retaliation for earlier cross-border attacks and recent militant incidents inside its territory.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that 22 Afghan military targets were hit. He stated that since Thursday night, at least 12 Pakistani soldiers and 274 Taliban officials and militants were killed. Later, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said security forces had killed 297 Afghan Taliban combatants, injured over 450 operatives, destroyed 89 posts, captured 18 others, and damaged around 135 tanks and armoured vehicles across 29 targeted locations.
In Kabul, the Afghan Government expressed willingness for “dialogue” to resolve the crisis, even as tensions intensified.
On Saturday morning, two explosions rocked Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, according to an AFP journalist who reported hearing a jet overhead before blasts near the airport in Nangarhar province.
International concern mounted rapidly. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres voiced deep concern over the escalation and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said he maintained very good relations with Pakistan’s leadership and described the country as doing “terrifically well” when asked whether Washington would intervene.
Regional powers including Iran, Russia and China have reportedly urged restraint and offered mediation as the conflict threatens wider instability in South Asia. [KNT]
