ISLAMABAD, February 27. /TASS/. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that his country is now in an open armed conflict with the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Defense Ministry announced the completion of a retaliatory military operation against the Pakistani armed forces, carried out the previous evening.

TASS has compiled the main information about the escalation of the situation.

Clashes and air strikes

- Fighting broke out along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on the evening of January 26.

- Kabul announced that it had launched a military operation in response to Pakistan's air strikes and captured 15 border posts.

- Islamabad reported the destruction of Afghan fortifications and equipment in retaliation.

- Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar said his country's air force struck several military targets in Afghanistan, including in the capital region.

- In an interview with the PTV channel, the minister said that the air strikes had hit key targets of the Afghan forces in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.

- According to him, several brigade and corps headquarters, ammunition depots, and logistics supply sites had been destroyed.

- The Afghan Defense Ministry announced the completion of a military operation against the Pakistani armed forces, carried out the previous evening.

- The statement noted that the operation was a response to "the violation of Afghanistan's territorial integrity and the deaths of women and children" resulting from the Pakistani military's actions.

- According to the ministry, at 8:00 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. GMT) on February 26, Afghan forces launched an offensive in the east and southeast along the Durand Line border with Pakistan, including the provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan.

- According to the statement, during the four hours of fighting, Afghan forces managed to capture two Pakistani military bases and 19 posts. Four more border posts were abandoned by Pakistani servicemen.

- Pakistani Air Force planes are patrolling the skies over the Afghan province of Kandahar after air strikes on military targets in the neighboring country, the PTV channel reported, citing sources.

Casualties

- Islamabad reported that at least 133 Afghan servicemen were killed, more than 200 were injured, and about 80 pieces of military equipment were destroyed during the Pakistani armed forces' operations.

- The Afghan Defense Ministry reported the deaths of 55 Pakistani troops, as well as the capture of prisoners of war and equipment, including a tank and other light and heavy weapons.

- The Afghan military also said that eight of its soldiers were killed and 11 were injured.

- In addition, 13 civilians were wounded in a Pakistani missile strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar province.

Top Pakistani defense official’s statement

- Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that his country and the Taliban government in Afghanistan are now in a state of open armed confrontation.

- Asif accused Kabul of "turning Afghanistan into a colony of India," encouraging and exporting terrorism, and oppressing the population.

Reasons behind escalation

- On February 22, the Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Ministry reported targeted strikes on militant positions of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and Wilayat Khorasan, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State terrorist group (both organizations are banned in Russia).

- According to the ministry, the operation was carried out in response to recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including an explosion at a mosque in Islamabad.

- Afghan authorities reported dozens of civilian deaths as a result of the Pakistani attack, calling it "an act of provocation."

- Kabul stated that it reserves the right to respond decisively to any "violation of the territorial integrity" of the country.