Russia, China, Iran Urge Restraint as Pakistan Declares ‘Open War’ on Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD/KABUL — Russia, China, and Iran issued urgent calls for de-escalation on February 27, 2026, as Pakistan and Afghanistan traded deadly cross-border airstrikes that pushed the neighboring countries into what Pakistan’s defense minister described as “open war” .

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared on social media that “our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you,” adding pointedly, “as neighbors, we know you well” . The declaration came after Pakistan launched extensive airstrikes targeting what it described as Afghan military installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces in the early hours of Friday .

The fresh strikes were Pakistan’s response to what it termed “unprovoked aggression” by Afghan forces, who launched what Kabul described as “large-scale offensive operations” against Pakistani military centers along the disputed Durand Line on Thursday evening .

The Military Escalation

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Afghan forces carried out attacks on Pakistani military facilities in border areas, claiming that 15 Pakistani military outposts were seized during operations conducted by the 203rd Mansouri Corps and the 201st Khalid bin Walid Army Corps across Paktia, Khost, Kunar, and Nangarhar provinces .

The Afghan Ministry of Defense issued a statement asserting that its forces had killed 12 Pakistani soldiers and seized five pieces of military equipment during the operations . However, casualty figures remain sharply contested between the two sides.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry initially reported that at least eight Afghan soldiers were killed in Thursday’s border clashes, while Kabul also claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed . Pakistan confirmed the loss of only two soldiers .

Later, the Afghan Defense Ministry announced an end to its four-hour “retaliatory operations” at midnight local time against Pakistani positions along the Durand Line .

Pakistan, however, maintained that its military actions continued. Mosharraf Zaidi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for foreign media, said Pakistani counterstrikes against targets in Afghanistan were ongoing as of early Friday . He claimed that 133 Afghan soldiers had been killed and more than 200 wounded, with additional casualties expected following the strikes on military targets .

Zaidi added that according to Pakistani claims, 27 Afghan military posts had been destroyed and nine captured, while multiple military facilities—including two corps headquarters, three brigade headquarters, ammunition depots, a logistics base, and more than 80 tanks, artillery systems, and armored vehicles—were destroyed . Anadolu Agency noted that it could not independently verify the claims made by either side .

On the Pakistani side, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Thursday evening that Pakistan’s security forces launched an “immediate and effective response” after “unprovoked fire” by Afghan Taliban forces along multiple locations across the border . The ministry reported exchanges of fire in the Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur sectors across Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province .

Airstrikes Reach Kabul

The conflict escalated dramatically when Pakistan’s air force launched airstrikes on Afghanistan’s capital. Multiple large-scale explosions were reported in Kabul around 2:30 a.m. local time on Friday, according to sources cited by Anadolu Agency . AFP journalists in Kabul and Kandahar also reported hearing multiple loud explosions and jets overhead, followed by intense gunfire.

Pakistani military sources told Xinhua News Agency that the strikes targeted “important military facilities” in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces, destroying multiple command centers, ammunition depots, and logistics bases . Security sources in Islamabad claimed that two brigade headquarters in Kabul were destroyed, along with the Afghan Taliban’s core headquarters in Kandahar .

Afghan spokesman Mujahid confirmed the strikes but stated that no casualties had been reported . The strikes came after Afghanistan launched border attacks against Pakistan over earlier airstrikes Sunday by Islamabad inside Afghanistan which left many dead .

Pakistan’s military operation has been codenamed “Ghazab-lil-Haq,” according to security sources cited by The Express Tribune, and has involved both air and ground forces . Security sources said Pakistani forces destroyed the Afghan terminal at Angoor Adda, as well as multiple Afghan military posts including the Afghan Charlie post and the Afghan Babri post . Sources also claimed that Pakistan raised its flag over five captured positions in the Paktia region opposite South Waziristan—two in Shawal, two in Angoor Adda, and one in Zarmelan .

Competing Narratives and Civilian Impact

The competing narratives from both sides reflect deep mutual distrust. Afghan deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat described Thursday’s operations as a response to “the continued aggressions of Pakistan’s military regime” . The eastern Afghan provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Nangarhar, which border Pakistan, experienced intermittent exchanges of fire over several days .

The conflict follows Sunday’s airstrikes by Pakistan that Islamabad said killed 70 “terrorists,” while Afghan officials and the United Nations reported civilian deaths—claims Pakistan denies . Following those strikes, the UN reported that 17 civilians were killed, a figure Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi rejected, insisting that “utmost caution” was exercised to prevent civilian harm and that only “terrorist” hideouts were targeted.

Defense Minister Asif further escalated rhetoric, alleging that the Afghan government had “turned Afghanistan into a colony of India” since the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2021 and was “exporting terrorism” . He accused Kabul of depriving its own people “of basic human rights” .

Diplomatic Intervention: Russia, China, Iran Respond

As the military confrontation intensified, three major regional powers moved quickly to urge restraint and offer mediation.

China expressed “deep concern” over the escalation, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stating that Beijing was mediating through its own channels and was willing to play a constructive role in calming the situation . She called on both sides “to remain calm and exercise restraint… achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, and avoid further bloodshed” . The foreign ministry and China’s embassies in both countries were actively working with relevant parties, she added .

Russia urged both nations to immediately halt cross-border attacks and resolve their differences through diplomatic means. The Russian foreign ministry told RIA news agency that Moscow would consider offering mediation if both sides requested it . The ministry emphasized that the two neighbors should cease attacks “immediately” and settle disputes via diplomatic channels .

Iran offered concrete assistance to facilitate dialogue. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to provide any assistance necessary to facilitate dialogue and to enhance understanding and cooperation between the two countries” . In a message that invoked the spirit of Ramadan, he stated that during “the month of restraint and strengthening solidarity in the Islamic world, it is appropriate for Afghanistan and Pakistan to manage and resolve existing differences within the framework of good neighborliness and through dialogue” .

UN and International Reaction

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is closely monitoring the situation and is deeply concerned by the recent tensions, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in Geneva . Dujarric stressed that both countries must strictly fulfill their obligations under international law, particularly international humanitarian law, and emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the protection of civilians .

UN human rights chief Volker Türk also appealed for dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan amid the border clashes and deadly airstrikes, while condemning ever harsher edicts issued by Afghan authorities that continue to severely impact women and girls .

The UN’s appeal for restraint reflects its commitment to conflict prevention and the protection of civilians. As tensions continue to escalate, the international community watches to see whether Pakistan and Afghanistan will step back from the brink and opt for dialogue .

Ground Reality and Path Forward

By midday Friday, reports suggested an uneasy calm had settled along parts of the mountainous border region, though the land border crossings remain largely closed. The fundamental dispute over cross-border militancy and sovereignty shows no signs of resolution.

The October 2024 ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Turkey, proved temporary. Whether the current offers of mediation from Russia, China, and Iran will yield more lasting results remains unclear. For the people living along the Durand Line—the disputed 2,640-kilometer border that Afghanistan has never formally recognized—the immediate question is whether the calm can hold, or whether the “open war” declared by Pakistan’s defense minister marks the beginning of a prolonged and bloody confrontation.

with inputs from
Al Jazeera: Pakistan bombs Kabul open war
Guardian: Pakistan strikes Kabul after Afghan attack
Reuters: Air strikes shake Kabul

For broader context, see our in-depth analysis on Modern World Order Explained: Power, Alliances & Global Systems.

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