Fresh fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has displaced tens of thousands of civilians and left dozens dead in what is shaping up to be the most serious escalation along their shared frontier in months.

According to the United Nations, approximately 20,000 families have been forced from their homes across multiple Afghan provinces since clashes erupted on Thursday. The violence has killed at least 42 civilians and wounded 104 others, including children, the UN mission in Afghanistan reported. The humanitarian impact is rapidly worsening, with the World Food Programme warning that around 160,000 people have been affected by the suspension of emergency food distributions in areas already grappling with acute malnutrition.

How the fighting escalated

The latest round of fighting began after Afghanistan launched what it described as a border offensive in retaliation for Pakistani air strikes. Islamabad responded with fresh strikes along the frontier, reportedly targeting multiple locations including the former US air base at Bagram Air Base, as well as areas in the capital Kabul and the southern city of Kandahar. Afghan authorities acknowledged that Bagram had been hit but said there were no casualties or damage at the site.

Residents described scenes of panic as air strikes and artillery fire intensified. In Kunar province, entire villages have reportedly emptied. A labourer from Sirkanay village said thousands of families had fled, leaving only one person behind in some homes to guard property. Afghan officials said three children were killed in a recent strike in Kunar, blaming Pakistan, though Islamabad has not commented on those specific allegations.

Pakistan confirmed that its aircraft flew nighttime sorties over Kabul, hours after journalists reported hearing multiple explosions accompanied by anti-aircraft fire and gunshots across the city. Further east, in Jalalabad and near the key border crossing at Torkham, residents said the fighting has continued for days.

Military casualty claims

Both sides have reported military casualties, though the figures vary sharply and are difficult to independently verify. Afghanistan says more than 25 of its soldiers have been killed and estimates around 150 Pakistani troops have died. Pakistan, meanwhile, claims that more than 430 Afghan soldiers have been killed in the clashes.

Diplomatic signals amid escalation

Pakistan says its February strikes targeted militant groups operating from Afghan soil. Islamabad has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of failing to act against anti-Pakistan militants, an allegation Kabul rejects.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said it was “never too late to talk” but warned: “We will finish this menace.”

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s defence ministry described its recent operations as “extensive and heavy offensive and revenge attacks” across seven provinces.

AFP inputs