Conflict Escalation: Pakistan Declares 'Open War' and Bombs Kabul

Tensions along the Islamabad-Kabul axis, ongoing since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, have erupted into a full-scale armed conflict. The direct trigger for the escalation was Pakistani airstrikes carried out on the night of February 26-27 on key Afghan cities, including the country's capital, Kabul, as well as Kandahar and Paktia province. The operation, named 'Ghazab lil-Haq' (Righteous Fury) by the Pakistani military, was a response to an alleged prior attack by Afghan border forces. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif unequivocally stated on social media that 'the cup of bitterness has overflowed,' accusing Kabul of supporting terrorism and turning Afghanistan into a 'colony of India.' Islamabad has long claimed that Afghan territory serves as a safe haven for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group, which regularly carries out bloody attacks on the Pakistani side of the border. The scale of losses on both sides remains the subject of conflicting propaganda messages. The conflicting parties provide contradictory and difficult-to-verify data on casualties: Islamabad reports 133 militants killed, while Kabul claims 55 Pakistani soldiers died. Independent observers warn that these numbers may be inflated for propaganda purposes, and earlier reports spoke of a significantly lower number of casualties. Independent verification of this data is currently impossible due to ongoing fighting in hard-to-reach mountainous regions. The situation for civilians in border areas is deteriorating dramatically; reports speak of shelling of refugee camps and mass flight of people from the vicinity of the Torkham crossing. The source of the persistent tensions is the so-called Durand Line, demarcated in 1893 by the British colonial administration. This border, stretching over 2,600 kilometers, has never been formally recognized by governments in Kabul, as it divides territories inhabited by Pashtun tribes.The situation has prompted an immediate reaction from the international community. China, a close ally of Pakistan, expressed 'deep concern' and called on both sides to immediately cease fire and return to dialogue. A similar mediation offer was made by Iran, which fears destabilization of its eastern borders. The UN appealed for adherence to international law and the protection of civilians, emphasizing that further escalation could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe in a region already grappling with a massive economic crisis. Previous attempts to broker a lasting truce, undertaken last year with the involvement of Qatar and Turkey, have proven ineffective in the face of a profound lack of trust between the new authorities in Kabul and the government in Islamabad. „Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you.” — Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal and pro-Western media place greater emphasis on war crimes and civilian suffering on both sides of the conflict. Conservative and regional media often focus on national sovereignty and the necessity of combating cross-border terrorism.