Afghanistan Govt Seeks 'Dialogue' With Pakistan To Resolve Ongoing Conflict

Last Updated:February 27, 2026, 18:26 IST

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghanistan wants a peaceful solution and the issue to be resolved through dialogue.

The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan on Friday said it was seeking dialogue with neighbouring Pakistan to resolve the escalating conflict between the two countries, even as cross-border hostilities intensified.

“We have repeatedly emphasised a peaceful solution and still want the issue to be resolved through dialogue," Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said at a press conference, following deadly fighting along the border.

The remarks came amid a sharp military escalation after Pakistan launched a retaliatory operation, dubbed Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, late Thursday night in response to alleged attacks by Afghan Taliban forces on multiple border posts.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the operation was underway, stating that the armed forces were delivering a “strong response" to what Islamabad described as aggression.

Providing details, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that at least 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and over 200 injured in the strikes.

He said Taliban defence targets in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar were hit, adding that 27 Taliban posts were destroyed and nine others captured, with further casualties possible.

Later, Khawaja Asif issued a strongly worded statement on social media, declaring what he described as an “open war" with Afghanistan.

Accusing the Taliban administration of sheltering militants, he said Pakistan’s “cup of patience has overflowed," signalling a tougher stance going forward.

Tensions have been simmering between Islamabad and the Taliban-led administration in Kabul over cross-border security along the Durand Line, a disputed frontier drawn during British rule in the 19th century.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused militants of using Afghan soil to carry out attacks inside its territory.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence, however, claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory actions along the Durand Line on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said the operations were launched at 8:00 PM on February 26, the 9th day of Ramadan, in response to what it described as earlier violations of Afghan territory by Pakistani forces.

Islamabad has linked the surge in militant violence to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist outfits. While distinct from the Afghan Taliban, the TTP shares ideological and social ties with the group and has been active since its emergence in Pakistan’s tribal regions in 2007.

The Afghan Taliban has consistently denied allowing its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country’s armed forces and citizens remain fully prepared to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, reiterating the military’s commitment to maintaining peace and security.

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