Washington has endorsed Pakistan’s “right to defend itself” after Islamabad launched airstrikes on major Afghan cities amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two neighbours.
The Taliban government in Kabul said it was ready to resolve the dispute through dialogue as violence intensified.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always tried to resolve issues through dialogue, and now also we want to resolve this matter through dialogue.”
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Pakistani strikes reportedly hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday, according to Taliban officials.
Pakistan declares ‘open war’
Earlier, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said the country was in “open war” with Afghanistan and that Islamabad’s patience had run out.
The latest wave of attacks followed clashes along the border, with Pakistan accusing Afghan forces of attacking its troops. Kabul said its actions were in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes last weekend on Afghan border areas.
Islamabad has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of sheltering militant groups that launch cross-border attacks into Pakistan — a charge Kabul denies. Pakistan also alleges that the Taliban government has grown closer to India, its longstanding regional rival.
US expresses support
Allison Hooker, the U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, spoke on Friday with Pakistan’s foreign secretary, Amna Baloch, expressing condolences “for lives lost” in the recent violence.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks,” Hooker wrote on X.
Pakistan remains a key U.S. ally. Washington designates the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces, as a terrorist group.
Calls for de-escalation
European leaders urged restraint. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said Afghan territory must not be used to threaten other countries and called on the Taliban authorities to act against militant groups operating from Afghanistan.
“We urge both sides to engage in dialogue,” Kallas said, adding that international humanitarian law must be respected and civilians protected.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also voiced concern over the “significant escalation” and called on both sides to take immediate steps toward de-escalation and re-engage in mediated talks.
A Qatari-mediated ceasefire ended previous fighting in 2025, but negotiations held in Istanbul in November failed to produce a formal peace agreement, leaving tensions simmering along the volatile border.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 02.03 2026
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