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Afghan forces fire on Pakistani jets over Kabul as tensions between South Asian neighbours escalate

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Afghan forces fire on Pakistani jets over Kabul as tensions between South Asian neighbours escalate

Afghan air defences targeted Pakistani aircraft over Kabul before dawn on Sunday, as fighting between the two countries escalated into what Pakistan’s defence minister has described as “open war”.

Explosions reverberated across parts of the Afghan capital in the early hours, followed by bursts of gunfire. It was not immediately clear what had been struck or whether there were casualties.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, said the blasts were the result of Afghan forces engaging Pakistani jets above the capital. “Air defence attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft. Kabul residents should not be concerned,” he said.

There was no immediate statement from Pakistan’s prime minister’s office, information ministry or military.

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The exchange marks the fourth consecutive day of hostilities between the neighbours, whose 2,600km (1,615-mile) frontier has seen some of the heaviest violence in years.

Pakistani army trucks carrying ammunition arrive near the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan on 28 February 2026

Pakistani army trucks carrying ammunition arrive near the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan on 28 February 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)

The latest clashes follow Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan last Sunday. Islamabad said it was targeting infrastructure linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an outlawed militant group fighting an insurgency inside Pakistan that is closely allied with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban.

Kabul said the strikes killed only civilians and denounced them as a violation of its sovereignty, announcing retaliatory operations along the shared border.

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Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, declared on Friday: “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us.”

Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that more than 331 Afghan forces had been killed and over 500 wounded in ongoing strikes inside Afghanistan. He said Pakistan had destroyed 102 Afghan posts, captured 22 and destroyed 163 tanks and armoured vehicles at 37 locations.

A vendor walks past the closed Landi Kotal Bazaar near the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan on 28 February 2026

A vendor walks past the closed Landi Kotal Bazaar near the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan on 28 February 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)

Kabul dismissed those figures as inaccurate. Afghanistan’s defence ministry said Afghan forces had killed 110 Pakistani soldiers and captured 27 Pakistani posts, reported the Associated Press.

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Enayatullah Khawarazmi, a ministry spokesperson, wrote on X that the operations were continuing. There was no immediate response from Islamabad to that claim.

Pakistan’s army spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said on Friday that 12 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in the fighting. On the same day, Mr Mujahid said 13 Afghan forces were killed and 22 wounded, and that 55 Pakistani soldiers had died.

Neither side’s casualty figures have been independently verified.

Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, accused Pakistan on Saturday of striking civilian areas in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar and Kandahar, as well as refugee camps in Torkham and Kandahar. He said 52 people had been killed, most of them women and children, and 66 wounded.

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In eastern Afghanistan, the department of information and culture said Pakistani attacks had destroyed homes and killed at least 11 civilians. Pakistan has said it is targeting only military installations.

The United Nations wrote on X that major Afghan cities were reportedly bombed by the Pakistani military on Friday, calling it a new escalation and warning of risks to civilians already living under Taliban rule.

Pakistan’s state-run media reported that its air force had carried out strikes on key military installations in eastern Afghanistan. Afghan officials said their forces launched overnight attacks on Pakistani bases in Miranshah and Spin Wam, destroying installations and inflicting heavy casualties in response to Pakistani air strikes.

Mullah Taj Mohammad Naqshbandi, a commissioner on the Afghan side of the Torkham crossing, said in a statement that the “brave forces of the Islamic Emirate destroyed the Pakistani military regime’s commissariat, military units, and three important security towers”.

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Mr Mujahid said Afghan attacks on Pakistani military targets were intended as “a message that our hands can reach their throats and that we will respond to every evil act of Pakistan”. He added: “Pakistan has never sought to resolve problems through dialogue.”

Pakistan’s army spokesperson said the Afghan government must choose “TTP or Pakistan.”

Afghan supporters cheer as they surround a vehicle of Taliban security personnel amid the ongoing clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, on the outskirts of Jalalabad on 28 February 2026

Afghan supporters cheer as they surround a vehicle of Taliban security personnel amid the ongoing clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, on the outskirts of Jalalabad on 28 February 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)

Islamabad has long accused Kabul of harbouring TTP militants, an allegation both the group and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities deny. Afghanistan says it does not permit its territory to be used against other countries and describes Pakistan’s security challenges as an internal matter.

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The fighting has displaced civilians near the northwestern Torkham border crossing, with Pakistani authorities saying hundreds of residents have fled. In recent days, Pakistan has also deported dozens of Afghan refugees to Torkham.

Ejaz Ul Haq, an Afghan refugee stranded near the crossing with his family, said he could not return to Afghanistan because of the clashes. He said many were struggling to secure food during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Tensions between the two countries have simmered for months.

In October, border clashes killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants before a Qatar-mediated ceasefire halted intense fighting. Subsequent peace talks in Turkey in November failed to secure a lasting agreement, and sporadic exchanges of fire continued despite the truce largely holding until last week’s Pakistani strikes.

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Since the latest escalation, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, the European Union and the United Nations have urged restraint and called for talks. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and China are among the countries offering mediation.

The United States has said it supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself.

Iran, which borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan, had offered to help facilitate dialogue before coming under attack on Saturday from Israel and the US.

Afghanistan’s interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, said the conflict would be “very costly” and that only front-line forces had so far been engaged, adding that the country had yet to fully deploy its military.

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Operation “Ghazab Lil Haq”, meaning “Wrath for the Truth”, is ongoing, according to Pakistani security sources, who say Afghan posts and camps have been destroyed.

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Air Canada flight and Port Authority vehicle collide at LaGuardia

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Air Canada flight and Port Authority vehicle collide at LaGuardia

NEW YORK (AP) — An Air Canada flight collided with a Port Authority vehicle after landing at LaGuardia Airport, according to authorities.

The New York Police Department confirmed the collision but could not immediately offer additional information.

A spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department said firefighters responded to reports of a plane that crashed into a vehicle on the runway at 11:38 p.m. Additional information was not immediately available.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s National Airspace System website reported LaGuardia has closed.

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Multiple videos taken by bystanders and posted on social media showed the jet with severe damage to the front of the aircraft.

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Dog trainer shares 1 thing you should always do to stop pet pulling on lead

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Wales Online

A dog trainer has shared a “game-changing” trick to stop your dog pulling on the lead – and owners can’t believe they didn’t know it sooner as it would have saved them so much trouble

A dog trainer has revealed the ‘only tip you need’ to stop your pet from pulling on the lead – and owners are calling it a ‘game changer’.

Southend Dog Training has turned to social media to unveil his technique for managing your pets on walks and guaranteeing you both enjoy the time outdoors. In his video, he said: “If your dog pulls on a lead, listen to this. Do this one thing and it’ll change how your dog walks. Instead of pulling back, yanking or restraining, pull up.” He explains this will assist in slowing the dog down, while pulling the lead backwards only generates a stronger desire to pull further.

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He added: “When a dog is being training in bite work, it’s often being pulled back creating restraint. To cause the dog to drive forward harder. We unintentionally apply this technique to dogs when we want them to stop pulling forward.

“We unintentionally frustrate the dog. Pull up on a short but relaxed lead and then relax and your dog will slow down.”

Alongside this, he advised owners against getting their dogs excited before a walk, suggesting it’s preferable to ensure their pet is settled before stepping out the front door.

Responding to his post, one user said: “My Springer Spaniel is terrible for pulling. I’ll try this tomorrow.”

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Another user commented: “I think my dog is broken I’ve pulled up since the day I got him. That lead is never relaxed. He waits nicely at the door and gate then thinks he has.”

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A third user said: “I tried this, but makes no difference especially at the starts of walk when he’s super excited I feel like I’ve tried everything.”

One more user suggested: “Teach your dog the ‘stop’ command. Walk a few paces, when it pulls say STOP. And do exactly that. Then walk. Repeat. Walk.”

A final user stated: “I’ve got a German shepherd puppy 1 year old. Every time I get his lead out he goes crazy making it difficult to put his lead on.”

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It follows after a dog trainer urged owners against giving in to their pets when they make ‘complaining’ sounds.

The canine expert from K9 University Dog Training posted on TikTok to offer some crucial guidance for pet owners, encouraging them to avoid responding to their dogs’ particular noises.

In a clip, the dog trainer outlines “three different sounds your dogs make, what they mean and how you should respond”.

The initial recommendation is to resist giving in when a dog produces a ‘complaining’ noise, frequently accompanied by pawing or scratching.

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The trainer cautions: “This behaviour should never be rewarded by letting them have what they want otherwise it’ll exacerbate the issue.”

Regarding a dog’s whining or crying, which could lead an owner to provide solace, the trainer recommends a contrary approach.

He explains: “This is a sign that your dog is anxious or stressed. There are two different sides to this – there’s a whine that’s self-soothing and there’s a whine that can escalate into a bigger reaction like barking or lunging.”

The last sound to be mindful of is howling, which the trainer indicates is typically a symptom of separation anxiety: “They’re lonely and trying to find the rest of their pack.”

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Air Canada plane collides with fire engine at LaGuardia Airport leaving up to 60 injured

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Daily Mirror

An Air Canada aircraft collided with a fire truck on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport, leaving up to 60 people injured and forcing the airport to close until Monday afternoon

An Air Canada aircraft has reportedly crashed into a vehicle on a taxiway at LaGuardia Airport late on Sunday evening, resulting in multiple injuries and prompting the airport’s closure.

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The New York Post has reported the vehicle was a fire engine which struck the plane, leaving four firefighters “critically injured.” The Mirror US has reported that as many as 60 people may have been hurt, citing WNY Fire Watch.

The incident is said to have occurred on Runway 4 within Delta’s terminal area at roughly 11:37 p.m., according to AeroCrewNews and NYCFireWire. All FDNY units are understood to have been dispatched to the location apart from the first-due engine company.

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According to local news outlet Col Live, the aircraft involved was Jazz Airlines Flight 646, operated by Air Canada’s regional carrier Jazz Airlines. The plane had travelled from Montreal, Quebec, and had only just landed in New York when it struck a Port Authority emergency vehicle, as the aircraft tried to cross runway 04/22.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a ground stop suspending all flights at the airport, citing an emergency. The regulator’s notice suggested a strong likelihood the halt would be prolonged, without offering additional details, reports the Express.

Emergency services personnel are said to remain on location working to secure the area.

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Passengers and airport staff described the scene as chaotic, with flights facing delays or cancellations. Reports indicate the airport will remain closed until 2 p.m. on Monday, causing substantial travel chaos at one of New York City’s busiest transport hubs.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation. Officials have not yet confirmed the identities or medical statuses of those who were injured.

Videos shared on social media depict evacuation and rescue efforts taking place at the airport following the collision, with one clip seemingly showing the aircraft’s nose angled upwards by several degrees as passengers disembarked.

Authorities at the airport have been approached for comment by the Express but have not yet released a comprehensive statement regarding casualties or the details of the collision.

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Eight key points after Noah Donohoe inquest week eight

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Belfast Live
Eight key points after Noah Donohoe inquest week eight | Belfast Live