Coverage dated February 26, 2026 to February 27, 2026

Pakistan Declares Open War on Afghan Taliban: Airstrikes Hammer Kabul and Kandahar

Headline from Military.com

Pakistan has declared open war on the Afghan Taliban, launching airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and other key targets after Taliban forces attacked border posts in a major escalation along the disputed Durand Line.

Military.com's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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Reports & sources

52 articles, oldest first.

The Guardian
‘Our patience has now run out’: Pakistan declares ‘open war’ against Afghanistan after cross-border attack – live news (opens The Guardian)
Published Feb 26, 2026
The Guardian's feed description
Pakistani forces launched airstrikes against military targets in the Afghan capital, Kabul, as well as other provinces close to the border
NBC10 Philadelphia
Pakistan declares 'open war' with Afghanistan as they trade deadly strikes (opens NBC10 Philadelphia)
Published Feb 26, 2026
NBC10 Philadelphia's feed description
Pakistan struck Kabul and two other provinces hours after the Taliban launched cross-border attacks, in the latest escalation of violence.
KRDO
Pakistan’s defense minister says latest clashes with Taliban mean ‘open war.’ What’s happening? (opens KRDO)
Published Feb 26, 2026
KRDO's feed description
By Sophia Saifi, Masoud Popalzai and Rhea Mogul, CNN Islamabad (CNN) — Afghanistan and Pakistan are fighting again, trading deadly shelling and
Deutsche Welle
Pakistan says at 'open war' with Afghanistan amid clashes (opens Deutsche Welle)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Philadelphia Inquirer
Pakistan is in 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes, defense minister says (opens Philadelphia Inquirer)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Philadelphia Inquirer's feed description
Tensions have been high for months. Border clashes in October killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants.
MyNorthwest
Pakistan’s defense minister says that there is now 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes (opens MyNorthwest)
Published Feb 26, 2026
MyNorthwest's feed description
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s defense minister said that his country ran out of “patience” and considers that there is now an “open war” with Afghanistan, after
Just the News
Pakistan, Afghanistan in 'open war' after latest strikes: Pakistani defense minister (opens Just the News)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Just the News's feed description
Pakistan carried out airstrikes after Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack
Townhall
Pakistan Declares 'Open War' on Taliban in Afghanistan (opens Townhall)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Townhall's feed description
Pakistan declares open war on Taliban amid escalating cross-border strikes in Afghanistan.
Breitbart News
'There Will Be Chaos': Pakistan Declares ‘Open War’ on Afghanistan (opens Breitbart News)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Breitbart News's feed description
Pakistani Defense Minister Kahwaja Asif declared “open war” on Afghanistan on Friday, promising “there will be chaos and a reckoning."
Seattle Times
Afghanistan’s soldiers guard the border with Pakistan as both countries trade attacks, in photos (opens Seattle Times)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Seattle Times's feed description
Pakistan’s defense minister says there is a state of “open war” with Afghanistan. Both countries have a long and complicated history harking back to Pakistan’s creation in 1947. This is...
Al Jazeera
Pakistan bombs Kabul: Why are Afghanistan and Pakistan fighting? (opens Al Jazeera)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Al Jazeera's feed description
Pakistani defence minister says Pakistan and Afghanistan are now at ‘open war’.
The Week
Pakistan and Afghanistan are in ‘open war’ amid growing regional troubles (opens The Week)
Published Feb 26, 2026
The Week's feed description
Both sides have fired shots at each other, as the dam broke following months of tension
Christian Science Monitor
How Afghanistan-Pakistan relations deteriorated into ‘open war’ (opens Christian Science Monitor)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Christian Science Monitor's feed description
Tensions between former allies Pakistan and Afghanistan have yet again come to a head, with Pakistan’s defense minister saying the neighbors are now in “open war.”
NPR
Pakistan says there is 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes (opens NPR)
Published Feb 26, 2026
NPR's feed description
Pakistan's defense minister says there is "open war" on the Afghan Taliban government after tensions between the two countries flared.
Anchorage Daily News
Pakistan in ‘open war’ with Afghanistan after latest border clashes, defense minister says (opens Anchorage Daily News)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Anchorage Daily News's feed description
Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded attacks in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the countries.
CNN
Pakistan’s defense minister says newest clashes with Afghanistan mean ‘open war.’ What’s happening? (opens CNN)
Published Feb 26, 2026
CNN's feed description
Afghanistan and Pakistan are fighting again, trading deadly shelling and mortar fire across their rugged border, with Pakistan’s defense minister saying his country’s patience had “run out” and declaring “open war” on its Taliban-run neighbor.
Al Jazeera
‘Open war’: Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban claim major casualties (opens Al Jazeera)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Al Jazeera's feed description
Both sides say Pakistan has bombed targets in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia in an escalation of recent tit-for-tat attacks.
Foreign Policy
Pakistan Says It’s in ‘Open War’ With Afghanistan (opens Foreign Policy)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Foreign Policy's feed description
Islamabad bombed major Afghan cities, accusing Kabul of harboring the Pakistani Taliban.
PBS NewsHour
Pakistan defense minister says country is in 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes (opens PBS NewsHour)
Published Feb 26, 2026
PBS NewsHour's feed description
Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan late Thursday, saying it was in retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes.
Legal Insurrection
Pakistan Declares War on Afghanistan, Conducts Airstrikes on Kabul (opens Legal Insurrection)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Legal Insurrection's feed description
Amid rising tension with Iran, Amb. Huckabee tells embassy staffers, who want to leave Israel, to 'do so TODAY'.
Deutsche Welle
Pakistan says at 'open war' with Afghanistan after strikes (opens Deutsche Welle)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Al-Monitor
Factbox-How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as tensions flare? (opens Al-Monitor)
Published Feb 26, 2026
Al-Monitor's feed description
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified overnight, with both sides claiming heavy losses and the Pakistani defence minister saying his country was in an "open war" with its neighbour.
The Guardian
Pakistan declares state of ‘open war’ after bombing major Afghan cities (opens The Guardian)
Published Feb 26, 2026
The Guardian's feed description
Wave of strikes comes after Taliban forces attack Pakistani border troops following earlier action from Islamabad
WMUR
Pakistan’s defense minister says that there is now 'open war' with Afghanistan (opens WMUR)
Published Feb 26, 2026
WMUR's feed description
The latest escalation of violence between the neighboring countries makes a Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear increasingly shaky.
Military.com
Pakistan Declares Open War on Afghan Taliban: Airstrikes Hammer Kabul and Kandahar (opens Military.com)
Published Feb 27, 2026
Military.com's feed description
Pakistan has declared open war on the Afghan Taliban, launching airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and other key targets after Taliban forces attacked border posts in a major escalation along the disputed Durand Line.

Showing the first 25 of 28 headlines. ·

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.