Pakistan launched air strikes on Afghanistan's capital Kabul and other cities, as clashes intensify along the shared border between the two countries.

On Friday, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared that Islamabad's patience with the Taliban authorities had run out, announcing an "open war". This followed Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid's statement about "large-scale offensive operations" against Pakistani military along the Durand Line.

The first strikes occurred around 1:50 AM local time on Friday. Pakistan termed the operation "Righteous Fury", targeting locations in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar provinces.

Conflicting casualty reports have emerged. Pakistan claims 133 Taliban fighters killed, while the Taliban reports only 8 fatalities. Afghanistan stated it killed 55 Pakistani soldiers, a claim dismissed by Islamabad.

The hostilities occur amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government since 2021.

Source: www.aljazeera.com