A growing conflict that has been making headlines recently is the rising tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Over the past year, both countries have carried out airstrikes and military actions along their shared border, accusing each other of supporting militant groups. These tensions have been ensuing for more than a century and are deeply rooted in history, politics, and geography.
One of the biggest reasons for conflict is the disputed border between the two countries, known as the Durand Line. This border was drawn in 1893 during British colonial rule, long before Pakistan even existed as a country. When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, Afghanistan refused to fully recognize the border, arguing that it unfairly split Pashtun ethnic communities between the two sides. Even today, many Afghans still see the border as illegitimate, which creates constant tension whenever military activity happens near it.
Another major cause of today’s conflict is the presence of militant groups operating across the border. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing a group called Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, to hide inside Afghan territory. The TTP is a Pakistani militant organization that has carried out deadly attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians. Pakistan argues that because these fighters operate from Afghanistan, it has the right to launch airstrikes against them. However, Afghanistan strongly denies supporting the group and views Pakistan’s strikes as violations of its sovereignty.
The situation is also complicated by history. During the 1980s Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan supported Afghan fighters and hosted millions of refugees. Later, Pakistan also supported the Afghan Taliban during the 1990s civil war. Ironically, after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, relations between the two countries actually worsened because of disagreements over security and border control.
Overall, the current tensions are not just about recent attacks, instead they are the result of long-standing border disputes, militant networks, and decades of mistrust. Understanding this history helps explain why clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan keep happening and why the situation remains so difficult to resolve even today.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-says-it-is-in-open-war-with-afghanistan-launches-strikes-on-kabul/
