Pakistan on Friday said it was in an “open war” with Afghanistan after its forces killed more than 270 Taliban fighters and injured over 400 others in airstrikes in response to what Islamabad described as the cross-border attack by the Afghan Taliban.Afghanistan’s Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and targeted what he described as “important military objectives” inside Pakistan.The Afghan Taliban attacked several check posts along the border late Thursday, apparently to avenge the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s border areas on Sunday. Pakistan responded by hitting targets in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia under ‘Operation Ghazab lil Haq’ early Friday.The 2,611-km-long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is known as the Durand Line, which Kabul has not formally recognised.“Our patience has run out. Now there is an open war between us…Now it will be ‘Dam Mast Qalandar’. Pakistan’s army did not come from across the seas. We are your neighbours; we know your ins and outs,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a post on X.Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistani forces “killed 274 Taliban personnel and khwarij, while another 400 were injured”. Twelve Pakistani soldiers were killed, while 27 others injured, and one was missing in action, he added.Taliban open to talksAfghanistan has always preferred to resolve issues based on mutual understanding and respect. However, this approach will be effective only if the other party demonstrates a practical and sincere willingness to find solutions – Afghan foreign ministryPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where he was given a detailed briefing on the current situation, Chaudhry said.According to a handout by the PM Office, Shehbaz said zero tolerance should be adopted against the nexus between the Afghan Taliban and ‘Fitna al Khawarij’ and its malicious actions. The term ‘Fitna al Khawarij’ is used for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “The Afghan Taliban launched unprovoked attacks at 53 locations in 15 sectors along the border in coordination with terrorists,” Chaudhry said, adding that Pakistan served an effective “brutal response” to the attacks.The spokesperson said Pakistan destroyed 73 Afghan posts along the border while capturing another 18 posts, which are “in our possession”.He said a conservative estimate showed that at least 115 tanks, armoured personnel carriers and artillery pieces were destroyed.He said the Afghan Taliban Corps Headquarters, Brigade Headquarters, Battalion Headquarters and weapon depots were also destroyed in air attacks when jets hit targets at 22 places in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Khost, Paktika and Laghman.Taliban government spokesman Mujahid said the recent strikes were intended to send a clear message that “our hand can reach their collar”, adding that any “malicious act” by Pakistan would be answered “in Islamabad”. Mujahid said that during last night’s retaliatory operations, 19 Pakistani military posts and two headquarters were seized. He claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others captured, Tolo News reported.“Afghan forces recovered weapons, ammunition, one tank and a military transport vehicle. 13 Islamic Emirate soldiers were killed and 22 others wounded in the fighting,” he said.Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan seeks peaceful relations with neighbouring countries, including Pakistan and India. “Our good relations with India are not directed against Pakistan,” he said, emphasising that the Emirate “has never been under the control of any country”. Chaudhry said the Taliban came armed with quad-copters and small and big weapons, but the response by Pakistan was so effective that they were repulsed completely at all 53 places and “we gave effective response to target all 53 places”.President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan would not compromise on peace and territorial integrity. “Our armed forces’ response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response and no one will be beyond reach,” he said.Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistani forces “are fully capable of crushing any aggressive ambitions”. “There will be no compromise on the defence of the beloved homeland and every aggression will be met with a befitting reply,” he added.