Pakistan Announces "Open War" on the Afghan Government

Sada News - Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that his country’s forces are capable of "crushing" any aggressor following airstrikes on neighboring Afghanistan.

Sharif wrote on the "X" platform: "Our forces have the complete ability to crush any aggressive ambitions," adding that "the entire nation stands side by side with the Pakistan Armed Forces."

The Afghan government announced on Thursday that its forces killed and captured a number of Pakistani soldiers in an attack on border points, in response to airstrikes carried out by Islamabad on its territory days earlier.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared an "open war" on the Afghan government, following bloody exchanges of strikes between the two sides.

Asif said on "X": "We have lost our patience. Now it has become an open war between us and you."

The Pakistani government confirmed that it conducted strikes on the cities of Kabul and Kandahar on Friday, following Afghanistan's attack on military facilities along the border with Pakistan.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated on "X": "Defensive targets belonging to the Afghan Taliban in Kabul and (Paktia) province and Kandahar were targeted."

For its part, Afghanistan confirmed launching its attacks against Pakistani forces along their shared border on Friday, following the Pakistani strikes on the cities of Kabul and Kandahar.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated on "X": "Following the airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and other provinces, widespread retaliatory operations were launched again against the positions of Pakistani soldiers, in the directions of Kandahar and Helmand as well."