Kabul: Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have skyrocketed, with the Taliban issuing a blistering ultimatum: any aggression will trigger devastating retaliation, including strikes on Islamabad itself.
Afghan security sources told local media that from now on, cross-border attacks will be met with force. “Bomb our soil, and we’ll target your capital,” they warned, framing it as an ironclad “Act of War policy.”
The flare-up stems from stalled peace talks in Istanbul, where Kabul claims Pakistan’s delegation sabotaged proceedings — demanding Afghan guarantees for Pakistani security while showing zero cooperation.
Earlier this month, deadly clashes along the Durand Line claimed the lives of soldiers, civilians, and militants, nearly sparking all-out war. A fragile truce was held via Qatar-Turkey mediation on October 19, but Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif cautioned on Saturday of full-scale conflict if dialogues collapse.
Long-standing accusations fly
Islamabad blames the Taliban for sheltering Pakistani militants launching attacks from Afghan soil; Kabul vehemently denies it.
Enter US President Trump, who at Malaysia’s ASEAN Summit on Sunday pledged swift intervention: “I’ve heard they’ve started peace efforts — I’ll sort it fast.”
As the sound of war intensifies, will mediation succeed, or is the explosive potential in South Asia about to explode?