U.S. says it helps Pakistan’s ‘proper to defend itself’ in opposition to Afghan Taliban

America mentioned on Friday (February 27, 2026) it supported ‌Pakistan’s “proper to defend itself” in opposition to assaults from ​Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers after Islamabad mentioned earlier ⁠within the day that the neighbouring nations have been in “open struggle.”

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers had mentioned on Friday they ‌have been prepared to barter after Pakistan bombed their forces in main cities.

“America ‌helps Pakistan’s proper to defend itself in opposition to ‌assaults ⁠from the Taliban, a Specifically Designated World ⁠Terrorist group,” a State Division spokesperson mentioned in an emailed assertion.

U.S. President Donald Trump, when requested whether or not he would intervene to cease the combating between Pakistan and Afghanistan, mentioned he will get together with Pakistan “very nicely” and that the nation is doing “terrifically nicely”.

“I might, however I get together with Pakistan very nicely, very, very nicely. You’ve gotten an amazing Prime Minister, you’ve an amazing Basic there. You’ve gotten an amazing chief, two of the people who I actually respect quite a bit, and I feel that Pakistan is doing terrifically nicely,” he mentioned.

Pakistan is nuclear-armed and its navy capabilities are vastly superior ​to Afghanistan’s. Nonetheless, ‌the Taliban are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by a long time of combating with U.S.-led forces, earlier than returning to energy in 2021 when Washington withdrew ‌chaotically.

Pakistan is a significant non-NATO ally of ​Washington. The U.S. considers the Afghan Taliban to be a “terrorist” group.

The newest violence ⁠erupted after Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory final weekend triggered Afghan retaliatory assaults alongside the border ‌on Thursday, escalating long-simmering tensions over Pakistan’s declare that Afghanistan shelters Pakistani Taliban militants. Afghanistan denies this and argues Pakistan is deflecting blame for its personal safety failures.

The State Division spokesperson mentioned Washington was conscious of the escalation in ‌tensions and “outbreak of combating between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban,” ​including the U.S. was “saddened by the lack of life.”

Either side reported heavy losses ⁠within the combating, which Pakistan’s Protection Minister Minister Khawaja ⁠Muhammad Asif mentioned amounted to an “open struggle”.

“The Taliban have constantly didn’t uphold ‌their counterterrorism commitments,” the State Division mentioned, including that “terrorist teams use Afghanistan as a launching pad ​for his or her heinous assaults.”