MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Pakistan expects that the conflict with Afghanistan will not escalate into a major regional war and will end in the near future, the Pakistani Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, told TASS.

"Neither the people nor the government of Pakistan want an escalation. But, unfortunately, if we are forced and if Pakistan is destabilized because of Afghanistan, then we will have to respond. But I hope this will be settled soon," he noted.

Furthermore, the ambassador indicated that Islamabad hopes to prevent the conflict with Kabul from turning into a full-scale regional war.

On the evening of February 26, fighting resumed on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Kabul said that it was conducting a military operation in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory. Islamabad reported that more than 130 Afghan soldiers were killed and about 80 pieces of military equipment were destroyed during the Pakistani armed forces' operations. On the morning of February 27, the Afghan Defense Ministry announced the end of the operation, reporting the deaths of 55 Pakistani servicemen and the capture of two bases and 19 border posts.