Taliban storms Pakistan border, captures multiple outposts along Durand line
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Amidst the ongoing tensions with Iran, a fierce war-like situation has now arisen between Pakistan and Afghanistan. There is an atmosphere of panic among civilians living on both sides of the border. Meanwhile, Taliban fighters have crossed the Durand Line and captured several Pakistani military posts. According to Tolo News, the Afghan army has taken control of Pakistani posts near the imaginary Durand Line in the Spin Boldak and Shorabak areas. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has made it clear that it has no hope for peace from the United Nations Security Council. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid says that innocent civilians are being killed in Pakistani attacks and that Security Council meetings have so far yielded no results.
Pakistan and Taliban come face to face
This latest conflict began when the Pakistani military launched airstrikes in Afghanistan. In response, on the evening of February 24th, the Taliban launched a series of attacks on Pakistani border posts and military bases. Pakistan claimed that it had targeted terrorist hideouts on February 21st, but the United Nations confirmed that civilians had been killed in those attacks, sparking widespread public outrage. Pakistan called the Taliban's retaliatory action a "misjudgment," and threatened Kabul with dire consequences.
Drones and fighter jets bombed Kabul
In response to the Taliban's aggression, Pakistan launched a major military operation inside Afghanistan on the morning of February 25th. Under Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, the Pakistani Air Force heavily bombed areas from Kabul to Kandahar using fighter jets and drones. Loud explosions were heard in Kabul's Darul Aman and western residential areas. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the Pakistani bombings in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces. In retaliation, the Taliban destroyed several Pakistani posts in Helmand and the eastern border areas.
Pakistan blames India for its failure
Pakistan's Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, distraught by the heavy losses his army has suffered, has declared this an open war against the Taliban. To conceal his failure, he has alleged that the Taliban are acting at India's behest and that Pakistan's patience has now run out. However, both India and Afghanistan have categorically rejected these baseless allegations. Both countries say that Pakistan is fabricating this false narrative to distract its people from its domestic problems.
People live in fear, appeals for peace fall flat
Meanwhile, on February 26, the Taliban intensified their attacks in Khost, Nangarhar, Paktika, and Kunar provinces. Pakistani posts in Jaji Maidan, Ali Sher, and Terezai districts were targeted. Both countries claim to have inflicted heavy casualties on each other. The sound of fighter jets is constantly heard in the skies of Kabul, and people are in fear due to retaliatory fire. Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the United Nations and Russia have appealed to both countries to immediately stop the war and adopt the path of dialogue. However, Taliban officials have stated that they are ready for both dialogue and fighting.