Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live: Taliban soldiers pose as they stand on a Humvee, following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces, in Momand Dara, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, February 28, 2026.
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: A Pakistani fighter jet reportedly crashed in Jalalabad on Saturday, and the pilot was captured by Afghan forces, hours after loud explosions were heard near the city’s airport, news agency AFP reported. The blasts, preceded by the sound of a jet overhead, appear linked to the ongoing escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan along the border. Pakistan rejected Afghan claim of jet downing, calling it ‘totally untrue’.
Taliban rulers signalled on Friday that they were ready for dialogue, hours after Pakistan carried out strikes in Kabul, Kandahar and other cities in what both sides described as a sharp escalation in hostilities.
Meanwhile, Kabul’s Taliban-led forces carried out drone strikes under Operation ‘Rad al-Zulm’ targeting Pakistani military camps in Miranshah and Spinwam, according to security sources cited by TOLOnews. Pakistan also continued overnight ground and air operations, with security sources telling The Dawn that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) targeted Taliban positions in Nangarhar while troops captured and destroyed multiple border posts.
The latest escalation began after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory last weekend. Afghan forces responded late Thursday with drone strikes on Pakistani military positions and installations in the northwest along their shared border.
The Taliban also attacked several border check posts, apparently in retaliation for Sunday’s air raids in Afghanistan’s border areas.
The fresh violence follows days of tit-for-tat attacks along the 2,600-km frontier, with each side blaming the other for triggering the latest round.
Pakistan launched air and missile strikes early Friday under what it called ‘Operation Ghazab lil Haq’, targeting locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
Security sources in Pakistan said the operation involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts, reported Reuters.
Pakistan strikes Kabul, Kandahar, Paktika
The Taliban spokesperson said Pakistani strikes hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and extended to Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday.
In Kabul, thick black smoke was seen rising from at least two locations, with a large blaze visible in videos verified by Reuters. Mujahid confirmed there were civilian casualties but did not provide further details.
The strikes marked the first time Pakistan directly targeted Afghanistan’s ruling establishment in Kabul over long-standing allegations that it shelters militants seeking to overthrow the government in Islamabad — a charge Afghanistan has consistently denied.
Pak says 274 taliban fighters killed
Pakistani officials claimed their latest strikes killed 274 Taliban officials and militants. Afghanistan, in turn, said it had killed 55 Pakistani soldiers.
Pakistan confirmed that 12 of its soldiers were killed, while Afghanistan said it had lost 13 Taliban fighters. Hindustan Times could not independently verify either side’s claims.
US backs Pakistan; Trump praises leadership
Allison Hooker, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, wrote on X after talks with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch that Washington “continue(s) to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.”
“The Taliban have consistently failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments, allowing violence to destabilize the region while terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a launching pad for their heinous attacks.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, asked about the strikes, praised Pakistan’s leadership, including field marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“You have a great prime minister, you have a great general there, you have a great leader. I think two of the people that I really respect a lot,” Trump told reporters.
“I think Pakistan is doing terrifically well,” he added.
Calls for de-escalation
International reactions have varied. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged both sides to step back.
“The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,” Kallas said in a statement.
Britain earlier called for “de-escalation,” China urged a ceasefire, and Iran offered to mediate between the two countries.
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Taliban rulers signalled on Friday that they were ready for dialogue, hours after Pakistan carried out strikes in Kabul, Kandahar and other cities in what both sides described as a sharp escalation in hostilities.
Meanwhile, Kabul’s Taliban-led forces carried out drone strikes under Operation ‘Rad al-Zulm’ targeting Pakistani military camps in Miranshah and Spinwam, according to security sources cited by TOLOnews. Pakistan also continued overnight ground and air operations, with security sources telling The Dawn that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) targeted Taliban positions in Nangarhar while troops captured and destroyed multiple border posts.
The latest escalation began after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory last weekend. Afghan forces responded late Thursday with drone strikes on Pakistani military positions and installations in the northwest along their shared border.
The Taliban also attacked several border check posts, apparently in retaliation for Sunday’s air raids in Afghanistan’s border areas.
The fresh violence follows days of tit-for-tat attacks along the 2,600-km frontier, with each side blaming the other for triggering the latest round.
Pakistan launched air and missile strikes early Friday under what it called ‘Operation Ghazab lil Haq’, targeting locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
Security sources in Pakistan said the operation involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts, reported Reuters.
Pakistan strikes Kabul, Kandahar, Paktika
The Taliban spokesperson said Pakistani strikes hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and extended to Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday.
In Kabul, thick black smoke was seen rising from at least two locations, with a large blaze visible in videos verified by Reuters. Mujahid confirmed there were civilian casualties but did not provide further details.
The strikes marked the first time Pakistan directly targeted Afghanistan’s ruling establishment in Kabul over long-standing allegations that it shelters militants seeking to overthrow the government in Islamabad — a charge Afghanistan has consistently denied.
Pak says 274 taliban fighters killed
Pakistani officials claimed their latest strikes killed 274 Taliban officials and militants. Afghanistan, in turn, said it had killed 55 Pakistani soldiers.
Pakistan confirmed that 12 of its soldiers were killed, while Afghanistan said it had lost 13 Taliban fighters. Hindustan Times could not independently verify either side’s claims.
US backs Pakistan; Trump praises leadership
Allison Hooker, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, wrote on X after talks with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch that Washington “continue(s) to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.”
“The Taliban have consistently failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments, allowing violence to destabilize the region while terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a launching pad for their heinous attacks.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, asked about the strikes, praised Pakistan’s leadership, including field marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“You have a great prime minister, you have a great general there, you have a great leader. I think two of the people that I really respect a lot,” Trump told reporters.
“I think Pakistan is doing terrifically well,” he added.
Calls for de-escalation
International reactions have varied. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged both sides to step back.
“The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,” Kallas said in a statement.
Britain earlier called for “de-escalation,” China urged a ceasefire, and Iran offered to mediate between the two countries.
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Feb 28, 2026 6:37:45 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan struck military installations deep inside Afghanistan
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, after Pakistan said it was in “open war” with its eastern neighbour.
Pakistan claimed more than 300 Afghan forces had been killed since fighting erupted Thursday night during a broad Afghan cross-border attack into Pakistan, Associated Press reported.
Feb 28, 2026 6:23:02 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan Army foils infiltration bid in Qila Saifullah sector, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan’s military has thwarted a terrorist infiltration attempt in the Qila Saifullah sector, according to PTV, citing security officials. The report said several militants were killed during the operation as Pakistan’s armed forces successfully repelled the intrusion.
Feb 28, 2026 5:14:56 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Will Trump intervene in Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘open war’?
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Responding to a question on the ongoing tensions between the neighbouring countries and a possible intervention by the US, Trump hinted at possible backing for Pakistan, saying that he “gets along” with Islamabad “very well”.
“Well, I would (intervene), but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well. Very, very well. You have a great Prime Minister, you have a great general there, you have a great leader, two of the people that I really respect a lot,” he told reporters.
In what appeared to be a show of support for Pakistan, the US President said that Islamabad is “doing terrifically well” in its border clashes with Afghanistan.
Feb 28, 2026 5:04:10 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Afghanistan’s soldiers guard the border with Pakistan as both countries trade attacks
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Pakistan’s defense minister says there is a state of “open war” with Afghanistan. Both countries have a long and complicated history harking back to Pakistan’s creation in 1947.
Feb 28, 2026 4:43:54 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: EU urges ‘de-escalation’ between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: The European Union called on Saturday for an “immediate de-escalation” between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as Islamabad launched air strikes in a flare-up of fighting.
“We call on all actors for immediate de-escalation and a halt of hostilities following the sharp increase of violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including cross-border attacks and reported strikes over the past 24 hours, which could have serious implications for the region,” the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said in a statement.
“The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan.” (AFP)
Feb 28, 2026 4:34:52 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Pakistan says it killed more than 300 Afghan forces in dayslong airstrikes inside Afghanistan
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, killing over 300 Afghan forces in dayslong border clashes, a government spokesman and officials said.
Pakistani and Afghan forces have targeted each other’s military positions since Thursday night, when Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack in response to Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan last Sunday. Pakistan said it was targeting the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group is separate but closely allied with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban. Afghanistan, however, said only civilians were killed in Sunday’s airstrike.
After the Afghan attack, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared Friday: “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us.” (AP)
Feb 28, 2026 4:18:22 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE:Afghanistan says Pakistan fighter jet down as cross-border strikes flare
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Afghanistan said it downed a Pakistan fighter jet and captured its pilot on Saturday, a claim denied by Islamabad a day after it declared an “open war” with its South Asian neighbour.
The Afghan military and police said the aircraft was shot down in the eastern city of Jalalabad, but Islamabad’s foreign ministry told AFP that it was “a false claim” and “totally untrue”.
Pakistan launched air strikes in several cities and provinces on Friday including the capital Kabul and Kandahar, where Afghan Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is based, in a flare-up of cross-border fighting.
The United States voiced its diplomatic support for Pakistan’s actions after Islamabad said it would not stop strikes that were meant to pressure the government in Kabul, which it accuses of backing militancy. (AFP)
Feb 28, 2026 3:55:59 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE: Pak army destroys Afghan post in Ghulam Khan sector, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan’s military has demolished an Afghan post in the Ghulam Khan sector along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, according to PTV, citing security officials.
Feb 28, 2026 3:36:19 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan claims more than 300 Afghan casualties
Pakistan on Saturday said its armed forces carried out sustained air and artillery strikes across the border into Afghanistan, killing more than 300 Afghan troops over several days of clashes. The overnight operations targeted multiple military sites deep inside Afghan territory, according to Pakistani officials.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said at least 331 Afghan personnel were killed and more than 500 wounded during the strikes, as per news agency AP. He added that Pakistani forces destroyed dozens of Afghan military posts, seized several others and damaged or destroyed tanks and armoured vehicles across multiple locations.
Afghan authorities did not immediately respond to the latest claims. A day earlier, Afghan government spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid had rejected Pakistan’s earlier assertions of heavy Afghan losses, calling them untrue.
(AP)
Feb 28, 2026 3:27:17 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan Army foils infiltration bid in Qila Saifullah sector, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan’s military has thwarted a terrorist infiltration attempt in the Qila Saifullah sector, according to PTV, citing security officials. The report said several militants were killed during the operation as Pakistan’s armed forces successfully repelled the intrusion.
Feb 28, 2026 2:49:57 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Taliban post destroyed near Miranshah, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: Pakistan’s military has struck and demolished an Afghan Taliban position near Miranshah, according to PTV, which cited security officials.
The sources said Pakistan armed forces are continuing “Operation Ghazab lil-Haq,” adding that the campaign will remain underway until all its stated objectives are met.
Feb 28, 2026 2:24:48 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: EU calls on Afghanistan, Pakistan to de-escalate tensions
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ LIVE news: The European Union on Saturday urged both Afghanistan and Pakistan to take steps towards an immediate de-escalation after Pakistan carried out air strikes amid a fresh surge in fighting between the two neighbours.
“We call on all actors for immediate de-escalation and a halt of hostilities following the sharp increase of violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including cross-border attacks and reported strikes over the past 24 hours, which could have serious implications for the region,” the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said in a statement, as per AFP.
“The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,” Kallas added.
(AFP)
Feb 28, 2026 2:06:05 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Peshawar’s hospital on high alert amid tensions
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital has been placed on high alert as tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalate, The Dawn reported.
A notification issued by the hospital administration stated: “Due to the ongoing war on the borders of our motherland, an emergency meeting at Lady Reading Hospital-MTI has decided to suspend all leave effective immediately.
Additionally, all departments must reserve 25 per cent of their total bed capacity for emergency use only, with no routine admissions allowed for these beds.”
The move comes as authorities prepare for any potential casualties amid the cross-border strikes and escalating conflict.
Feb 28, 2026 1:47:01 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan says 37 Afghan locations targeted in ongoing air ops
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Islamabad minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that 37 locations across Afghanistan have been subject to aerial strikes since the start of Pakistan’s ongoing operation, AFP news agency reported.
It remains unclear whether any additional strikes took place on Friday night, as both sides continue to exchange fire along the border.
Feb 28, 2026 1:40:23 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Afghan army headquarters in Kandahar and Nangarhar destroyed in air strikes, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: The headquarters of the Afghan army in Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces have reportedly been destroyed in targeted air strikes, The Dawn reported citing security sources. Afghanistan has not confirmed the development.
Feb 28, 2026 1:27:33 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: What is the Taliban death toll so far?
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said that more than 331 Afghan Taliban forces have been killed and over 500 others wounded during ongoing military operations in Afghanistan, reported AP.
He added that Pakistan’s forces have destroyed 102 Taliban posts, captured 22 others, and taken out 163 tanks and armoured vehicles across 37 locations, marking a major escalation in the cross-border offensive.
HT could not independently verify the claims.
Feb 28, 2026 1:19:59 PM IST
Seven missiles hit Tehran; Trump confirms US role in strikes
Seven missiles struck Tehran on Saturday, hitting areas near the Presidential Palace and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s compound, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the US was involved in the strikes, saying Washington has begun “major combat operations in Iran” following Israeli action in Tehran earlier the same day.
The development comes just day after Iran had offered to help “de-escalate” tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Feb 28, 2026 1:18:20 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: At least nine civilians killed in Asadabad after Pakistani fire
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: At least nine civilians have been killed and four others injured in Afghanistan’s Asadabad city, Kunar province, after Pakistani forces reportedly fired on residential homes, local sources told TOLOnews.
The incident adds to growing concerns over civilian safety as cross-border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to escalate.
Feb 28, 2026 1:05:14 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan rejects Afghan claim of jet downing, calls it ‘totally untrue’
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Islamabad’s foreign ministry on Saturday dismissed reports by Afghan military and police that a Pakistani jet had been shot down and its pilot captured.
“That’s a false claim. Totally untrue,” ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told news agency AFP.
Feb 28, 2026 12:46:23 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: State of emergency declared in Bannu as security tightened
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, imposing restrictions on certain vehicles after police received credible reports of potential sabotage, The Dawn reported.
District education officer Abdul Malik also announced a one-day closure of all government schools to ensure public safety.
Bannu police have been instructed to remain on high alert and strengthen security measures across the district. According to district police officer Yasir Afridi, six attacks in the city were successfully foiled, with Afghan advances stopped at the Kashoo Bridge checkpoint and in the Kotka Muhammad Khan Domel area.
Feb 28, 2026 12:11:33 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistani fighter jet ‘shot down’ in Jalalabad; pilot captured alive
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: A Pakistani fighter jet reportedly crashed in Jalalabad on Saturday, and the pilot was captured alive, Afghan military and police sources said.
Residents told AFP that the pilot parachuted from the plane before being detained.
“A Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in the sixth district of Jalalabad city, and its pilot was captured alive,” police spokesman Tayeb Hammad said.
Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the military in eastern Afghanistan, also confirmed that the jet was downed by Afghan forces and the pilot was taken alive.
Feb 28, 2026 12:04:46 PM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistani fighter jet crashes in Jalalabad; pilot captured
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: A Pakistani fighter jet reportedly crashed in Jalalabad on Saturday, with Afghan military and police sources saying the pilot has been captured, reported news agency AFP.
The incident comes hours after loud explosions were heard near Jalalabad airport, AFP journalists reported, following a jet flying overhead.
Feb 28, 2026 11:57:35 AM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan minister says, ‘this war will be won’
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Pakistan will continue its current policy towards Afghanistan unless the Taliban abandon their “guerrilla mindset,” state minister Talal Chaudhry said on Wednesday.
“Their (Taliban leadership’s) attitude towards us is quite different from what it is with the rest of the world,” Chaudhry said during a programme on Geo News.
He added, “And this war will be won, and all this will end. If it is not resolved the straight way, then it will be completely ended by a hardline approach.”
Feb 28, 2026 11:50:07 AM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Afghanistan pursuing ‘active diplomacy’ alongside military action, says official
Afghanistan is engaging in “active diplomacy” while continuing what it describes as “legitimate and responsible” military operations, a senior foreign ministry official said.
Zakir Jalali, the second political director of Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry, said that the government has held “detailed” consultations with the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, making Afghanistan’s position on the escalating conflict clear, reported TOLOnews.
Feb 28, 2026 11:29:34 AM IST
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Blasts heard near Jalalabad airport, says report
Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘war’ live news: Two loud explosions were heard in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad on Saturday morning, according to an AFP journalist, a day after Pakistani air strikes hit other Afghan cities.
The journalist reported hearing a jet overhead shortly before the blasts, which appeared to come from the direction of the airport in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province.
Jalalabad lies along the key road linking Kabul with the Pakistani border.
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