An Afghan migrant broke into a New York man's home and attacked him because he was Pakistani, police say. 

Hossein Haidar, 18, is facing a hate crime charge after allegedly 'violently dragging' a man from his home in Watervliet and beating him on Sunday evening. 

Investigators said Haidar and the unnamed victim, also 18 years old, had been arguing the previous day about ongoing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Police described the alleged assault as a 'targeted, ethnicity-motivated attack' that was triggered by Pakistan's declaration of 'open war' with the Taliban a week ago. 

Haidar allegedly made 'explicit derogatory statements targeting the victim's Pakistani nationality and ethnic background', including referring to Pakistani people as 'scum', cops said. 

Watervliet Police spokesman Officer Eric Roy said the two men lived about a block from each other and had come to blows over the brewing conflict between their two nations. 

The victim was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to the hospital, Roy said. 

Haidar was tracked down shortly after the alleged attack and arrested. 

He is facing charges of third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree burglary as a hate crime. 

Haidar was arraigned in city court and his bail was set at $10,000. He was sent to the Albany County jail after the hearing and remains incarcerated, per Times Union. 

It comes as Afghanistan and Pakistan's historically fractious relationship bubbled up in recent days.

Pakistan previously provided sanctuary for Taliban leaders who attacked Western troops. 

Hostilities between the two nations spilled over on February 21 when Pakistan declared 'open war' on the Taliban in response to a Taliban attack on the border. 

On Friday, the Taliban called for peace talks with Pakistan after suffering a blitz over the border. 

Officials in Islamabad claimed to have killed at least 274 Taliban soldiers and have leveled Taliban military targets, including a huge explosion at an ammunition depot. 

The Daily Mail has contacted the Watervliet Police Department for more information.