China, Saudi Arabia urge restraint as Pakistan, Afghanistan go to ‘open war’
China, Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries along with the United Nation (UN) have urged restraint as Pakistan and Afghanistan went into, what the two countries are calling, ‘open war’
China, Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries along with the United Nation (UN) have urged restraint as Pakistan and Afghanistan went into, what the two countries are calling, ‘open war’.
Tension over border dispute and cross-border ‘terrorism’ between the two countries has a long history. The tense situation escalated into open hostilities in late February 2026, marking a sharp break from years of border skirmishes, proxy accusations, and a fragile 2025 ceasefire.
On Friday Feb 27, 2026, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, "Righteous Fury", and declared open war after Afghanistan's Taliban forces unleashed what they described as "large-scale offensive/retaliatory operations" against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line border in multiple sectors.
According to the reports, Afghanistan capital Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and other borders were hit in the Pakistani “retaliatory” military strikes.
The Pakistan Army has claimed more than 130 Taliban fighters have been killed in the operation. The Afghan army has neither confirmed nor denied these claims.
Hectic diplomatic efforts on
Amid the rising tension, China said it is mediating between the two countries whereas Saudi Foreign Minister called his Pakistani counterpart to ease the tension.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said had a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and the two discussed recent regional developments, including the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said it is deeply concerned over escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
“Beijing has been mediating the conflict through its own channels”, Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a news conference, adding that China was willing to play a constructive role in cooling the situation.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also discussed the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan in separate calls on Friday with counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, a Turkish diplomatic source was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Meanwhile, Russia too has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to immediately halt cross-border attacks and resolve their differences through diplomacy, and said it would consider offering mediation if both sides requested it, according to remarks cited by RIA news agency.
In Geneva, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is closely monitoring the situation and is deeply concerned by the recent tensions, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
Dujarric said Guterres stressed that both countries must strictly fulfil their obligations under international law and underscored the urgent need to prioritise the protection of civilians.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed concern over the Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions and said he regretted the loss of life on both sides.
He urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to show maximum restraint and immediately stop military operations, while saying Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns should be addressed and Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity respected.
"Reconciliation is only possible at the negotiating table", he said.
[With inputs from AFP, Reuters and other agencies]
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