Evening Briefing Asia

Pakistan Ratchets Up Conflict with Afghanistan in `Open War’ Declaration

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Pakistani soldiers patrol near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing in Chaman on Feb. 27.Photographer: ABDUL BASIT/AFP

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By Stephanie Phang

February 27, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

We seem to be plagued by conflict and geopolitical tensions.

Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared “open war” with Afghanistan after both sides carried out cross-border strikes overnight that killed dozens. Pakistan’s military targeted “defense locations” in the Afghan capital Kabul as well as in the border provinces of Kandahar and Paktia, killing more than 130 Afghan Taliban “operatives,” according to Islamabad’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.