Taliban open to talks with Pakistan to end violence

Taliban leaders in Afghanistan said they were willing to negotiate with Pakistan to end the war and violence, after Pakistan bombed several major cities and Islamabad’s defence minister declared the two countries were in an “open war” following months of mounting tensions and clashes.

Pakistan struck Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, and Kandahar—where the Taliban leadership is based—along with other cities on February 27, 2026, while fighting continued along the border. Both sides reported heavy casualties.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced a “full-scale confrontation” with the Taliban government, posting on X: “Now it is an open war between us and you.”

Later, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Taliban leaders were ready to negotiate with Pakistan to bring an end to the violence.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always tried to resolve issues through negotiations, and this time we also want to resolve this issue through negotiations,” he said.

The latest violence flared after Pakistan carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan last weekend, triggering retaliatory attacks by Afghanistan along the border on February 26, 2026.

The escalation has intensified long-running tensions after Pakistan alleged Afghanistan was sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants—an accusation Afghanistan denies.

Mujahid said Pakistan’s strikes hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and later targeted Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday, after Afghanistan launched drone attacks on military bases in Pakistan’s north-west along the border on Thursday.

Conflicting casualty claims

Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, said Pakistan’s air and ground operations killed at least 274 Afghan soldiers and fighters from various groups, with more than 400 wounded.

He said 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed, 27 were wounded and one was missing during the operation.

Mujahid rejected Pakistan’s claims as “not true”, saying 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, with 23 bodies held by Afghan forces, and that many Pakistani soldiers had been captured.

He said 13 Afghan soldiers were killed and 22 were wounded, while 13 civilians were injured.

Later on Friday evening, Afghanistan’s government reported that 19 civilians were killed and 26 were wounded when Pakistan attacked the cities of Khost and Paktika in southeastern Afghanistan.

Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify the casualty and injury figures claimed by either side.