Kabul Shaken by Explosions as Pakistan-Afghanistan ‘Open War’ Escalates

Kabul, March 1: Explosions and heavy gunfire echoed across Kabul early Sunday morning as the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated into its fourth day of what officials are now calling an “open war.” The blasts, which began before sunrise around 5:40 a.m. local time, were concentrated in the central part of the capital and lasted for approximately 20 minutes.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the sounds were the result of Afghan air defense forces engaging Pakistani aircraft over the city. “Anti-aircraft fire is being directed at Pakistani aircraft in Kabul; residents should not be alarmed,” Mujahid stated in a public update, though eyewitnesses reported thick black smoke rising from at least two locations in the city.

The latest strikes follow a wave of Pakistani aerial bombardments that began on Friday, targeting Taliban military installations, ammunition depots, and command centers in Kabul, Kandahar, and other key provinces. These operations, dubbed “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” by Islamabad, were launched in retaliation for an Afghan cross-border offensive that took place late Thursday.

Tensions have reached a breaking point, with Pakistan’s Defense Ministry formally declaring a state of “open war” against the Taliban administration. Islamabad accuses the Afghan government of harboring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants—a charge Kabul denies—while Afghan officials have condemned the airstrikes as a “cowardly” violation of sovereignty that has resulted in significant civilian casualties.

While the Taliban administration maintains that there were no casualties from the Sunday morning strikes in the capital, local reports from other regions suggest a grimmer reality. In southern Kandahar, local officials reported that at least three people were killed in separate airstrikes today, and over 30 civilians have reportedly been killed across Khost, Kunar, and Paktika provinces since the hostilities intensified on Thursday.