Dozens of soldiers were killed in overnight clashes between Pakistani and Afghan troops, the two sides said on Sunday, marking one of the deadliest border confrontations since the Taliban regained power in August 2021.
The Pakistani military reported that 23 of its soldiers were killed and 29 were wounded.
In a statement, it said over 200 Taliban and affiliated were killed, with multiple Taliban positions along the border destroyed and training camps “rendered inoperative”.
Addressing a news conference in Kabul, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said nine Afghan and 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed, with another 30 wounded.
He added that more than 20 Pakistani security posts were temporarily seized by Afghan forces.
What triggered the clashes?
The latest escalation was primarily triggered by a surge in TTP attacks targeting Pakistani forces, including bombings in northwestern Pakistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the interim Taliban administration to rein in the terrorists of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a conglomerate of several terror groups.
11 Pakistani security personnel, including two officers, were killed by terrorists on Tuesday, followed by the killing of a Pakistani army officer in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday
Pakistan has labelled the TTP terrorists as “India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij”, while “Fitna-al-Hindustan” is a term designated for terrorist organisations in Balochistan.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed on Thursday that the Afghan interim administration had asked for money from Islamabad to relocate terrorists of TTP away from its border.
The media reported that Pakistan struck terrorist targets inside Afghanistan on Thursday.
A claim Pakistan has neither denied nor accepted.
Pakistan alleges that the Taliban government has allowed TTP terrorists to operate from Afghan soil, while Kabul denies the charges and reaffirms that it does not permit attacks against Pakistan from its territory.
India-administered Kashmir
Pakistan also lodged a strong protest with Afghanistan over the India-Afghanistan Joint Statement issued on October 10 in New Delhi, expressing serious reservations about references concerning India-administered Kashmir.
Afghanistan's interim Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in India for a diplomatic visit on October 9, the first time a Taliban official visited New Delhi since coming back to power in 2021.
Pakistan summoned Afghanistan’s ambassador to convey Islamabad’s concerns.
The protest centred on the reference to India-administered Kashmir as an integral part of India, which Pakistan asserts is a direct violation of relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the internationally recognised disputed status of the region.
What both sides say?
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Afghan attacks, calling them “provocations” and said:
"There will be no compromise on Pakistan's defence, and every provocation will be met with a strong and effective response," Sharif said in a statement, accusing Taliban authorities in Afghanistan of allowing their land to be used by "terrorist elements".
Meanwhile, Afghanistan defended the skirmishes as “retaliatory operations,” stating that the “situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control”.
Resurgent violence
Terror attacks have surged in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the US-led withdrawal and the Taliban’s return, largely led by the TTP.
According to Pakistani military officials, more than 500 people, including 311 troops, have been killed in attacks so far this year.
A UN report notes that the TTP receives “substantial logistical and operational support” from the Taliban government in Kabul.
Former Pakistani diplomat Maleeha Lodhi said violence in the border region has “plunged relations between the neighbours to an all-time low” but added that diplomacy remains crucial for de-escalation.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told parliament that repeated efforts to persuade the Afghan Taliban to control TTP activity had failed, adding:
“Enough is enough. The Pakistani government and army’s patience has run out.”
The clashes led to the closure of two key border crossings, Torkham in the northwest and Chaman-Spin Boldak in the southwest, halting trade and civilian movement between the countries, according to Afghan officials.
