Pakistan Bombs Kabul as 'Open War' Erupts With Afghanistan; Afghan Forces Claim F-16 Shot Down

A full-scale military confrontation has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Pakistan's Defence Minister declaring "open war" between the two nations after the Pakistani Air Force carried out heavy airstrikes on multiple Afghan cities — including the capital, Kabul — in retaliation for an Afghan forces attack on Pakistani border posts on Thursday night.

Minor skirmishes between the two countries had been simmering for months, but the situation crossed a dangerous threshold overnight. Following Thursday's attack on Pakistani border posts by Afghan forces, Pakistan's military launched sweeping aerial strikes across several major Afghan cities. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif warned that his country's military possessed the full capability to "crush any aggressive designs," as heavy artillery exchanges and air operations continued along the border on Friday.

The armies of both sides have reported dozens of soldiers killed in the latest round of violence — the most severe escalation in years between the two neighbours. Pakistan has long alleged that Afghanistan's Taliban government allows anti-Pakistan terrorist groups to operate freely from Afghan soil, a charge Kabul firmly denies. Multiple rounds of Qatar and Turkey-mediated talks have so far failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Amid the fighting, a significant — and as yet unverified — claim has emerged. Afghan media outlet TOLO News, citing sources, reported that Afghan security forces shot down a Pakistani Air Force fighter jet that had crossed into Afghan territory. Videos circulating on social media show burning wreckage bearing what appears to be serial number 85510 alongside a Pakistani flag, with some Afghan sources claiming the aircraft was an F-16.

Pakistan has confirmed it conducted airstrikes inside Afghan territory but categorically denied losing any aircraft. Defence analysts have added a note of caution, observing that the size and structure of the wreckage visible in the footage does not appear consistent with an F-16. The claim cannot be independently verified at this stage.

The conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours sharing a volatile border has triggered alarm across the region. Both nations have historically used the Durand Line as a flashpoint for geopolitical grievances, and the latest escalation — involving airstrikes on a capital city — marks an alarming new chapter in that fraught relationship.