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02-03-2026
WASHINGTON/ KABUL: The United States on Friday expressed support for what it called Pakistan’s “right to defend itself” against attacks from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers after Islamabad said earlier in the day that the neighboring countries were in “open war.”
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers had said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities.
“The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks from the Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group,” a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement. US diplomat Allison Hooker said on social media she spoke on Friday with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.
Pakistan is nuclear-armed and its military capabilities are vastly superior to Afghanistan’s. However, the Taliban are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by decades of fighting with US-led forces, before returning to power in 2021 when Washington withdrew chaotically.
Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of Washington. The US considers the Afghan Taliban to be a “terrorist” group.
The latest violence erupted after Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory last weekend triggered Afghan retaliatory attacks along the border on Thursday, escalating long‑simmering tensions over Pakistan’s claim that Afghanistan shelters Pakistani Taliban militants. Afghanistan denies this and argues Pakistan is deflecting blame for its own security failures.
The State Department spokesperson said Washington was aware of the escalation in tensions and “outbreak of fighting between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban,” adding the US was “saddened by the loss of life.”
Both sides reported heavy losses in the fighting, which Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said amounted to an “open war”.
“The Taliban have consistently failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments,” the State Department said, adding that “terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a launching pad for their heinous attacks.”
Afghan Taliban open to talks after Pakistan bombs Kabul
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities and said the allies-turned-foes were in “open war.” Pakistan struck the Afghan capital Kabul, the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, and other towns, a Taliban spokesman said. The attacks were its first directly targeting Afghanistan’s government over allegations it harbors militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said there were civilian casualties on Friday but did not provide details.
In Kabul, thick plumes of black smoke rose from two sites and a huge blaze was also visible in video verified by Reuters. Media witnesses said many ambulance sirens could be heard following loud blasts and the sound of jets on Friday.
Kabul taxi driver Tamim said an ammunition depot was hit and explosions continued inside after the strikes as stored ordnance ignited.
“The plane came and dropped two bombs, then flew away again. After that, we heard explosions,” said Tamim, who was asleep when the strikes hit. “Everyone, in panic, ran down from the second floor of the house.”
Security sources in Pakistan said the strikes involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts in response to Afghan attacks on Thursday.
The latest violence erupted after Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory last weekend triggered Afghan retaliatory attacks along the border on Thursday. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
