Violence has escalated between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the Pakistan Air Force saying it launched air strikes against Afghanistan on Friday evening.

Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan's prime minister, said that as of 11 p.m. on Friday, 297 Afghan fighters had been killed and more than 450 wounded. 

He added that 89 Afghan checkpoints were destroyed, 18 seized, 135 tanks and armored vehicles destroyed, and 29 locations inside Afghanistan designated as air strike targets. The claims could not be independently verified.

At least 19 people have been killed and 26 injured in Afghanistan's eastern provinces of Khost and Paktika, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Afghan government, posted on Friday on X. 

Deadly fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted late on Thursday. According to Kabul, Afghan forces launched what they termed a "large-scale offensive" against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line, the 2,600-kilometer border dividing Afghanistan and Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani air strikes carried out the previous week. Heavy ground battles were reported in several provinces along the frontier.

Hours later, after Afghanistan's Defense Ministry announced it had concluded what it described as retaliatory operations, Pakistan responded with further air strikes. In a significant escalation, Islamabad said it targeted "important military facilities" in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia.

Both sides claim heavy casualties and major battlefield gains, but the figures cannot be independently verified, CGTN reporter Zmaryalai Abasin reported from Kabul. 

Despite the sharp escalation, Afghan officials have signaled openness to dialogue. On Friday, government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan remains committed to a peaceful resolution and hopes to resolve differences through talks.

Mujahid said the Afghan government seeks regional peace and stability. He added that clashes between Pakistan's military and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are an internal Pakistani matter that should not be shifted onto Afghanistan.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said its actions were carried out in response to terrorist attacks and military provocations from Afghan territory. It warned that any further provocation by the Afghanistan government, or attempts by militant groups to threaten Pakistan's security, would trigger a "prudent, resolute and appropriate response."

Deep-rooted tensions

The latest confrontation reflects deeper, long-standing tensions between the two neighbors. Relations have been strained for years by border disputes, security concerns, and mutual accusations of harboring militant groups.

On February 21 and 22, Pakistan conducted air strikes inside Afghanistan, saying it targeted TTP hideouts. Afghan authorities said those strikes killed dozens of civilians and vowed retaliation.

Regional actors including Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia have attempted mediation, but efforts appear to have stalled. No formal diplomatic breakthrough has been announced following the latest escalation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities on Friday and urged both sides to resolve differences through diplomacy. UN humanitarian agencies reported that nearly half of Afghanistan's population already requires assistance after years of conflict, poverty and natural disasters.

Afghan officials said refugee camps were caught in the crossfire during the latest fighting. The Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing, which shelters Afghan families expelled from Pakistan, was reportedly struck by mortar fire, underscoring mounting risks to civilians.

Despite the harsh rhetoric, analysts say neither side is likely to seek a prolonged, full-scale war.

"A fragile peace is better than open war, and sustained peace is the only path to progress," said Dr Tughral Yamin, a Pakistani defense analyst and retired brigadier. "Military confrontation will only deepen misery; dialogue, verification mechanisms and responsible statecraft are the way forward."