India, Feb. 27 -- Pakistan and Afghanistan traded airstrikes and artillery fire on in one of the most dramatic escalation of tensions between the two neighbours in years. What began as cross-border exchanges spiralled into coordinated military operations, with both sides accusing the other of unprovoked aggression and claiming heavy casualties.

Pakistani officials characterised their actions - called Operation 'Ghazab lil-Haq' - as a response to 'unprovoked aggression' from Afghan territory. Authorities in Kabul - under the rule of the Taliban - accused Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty and striking civilian areas.

Both Pakistan and Taliban government offer conflicting claims on the casualties, reports of destroyed border posts,...