Intense fighting broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late Saturday, with Afghan security forces launching attacks on Pakistani border posts. The Taliban government in Kabul characterized the action as retaliation for recent Pakistani violations of Afghan territory and airspace.
The escalation is one of the most serious outbreaks of cross-border violence since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Conflicting Claims and Casualties
Reports from both sides offered significantly different accounts of the damage and troop losses:
- Afghanistan’s Claims: Afghanistan’s state-run media, RTA, and the Defense Ministry claimed a “revenge operation” resulted in significant Pakistani casualties, with unconfirmed reports citing 58 Pakistani soldiers killed and 30 wounded. Afghan forces also claimed to have occupied 25 Pakistani army posts, including posts in the southern Helmand province.
- Pakistan’s Claims: Pakistan’s state-run media, quoting military sources, stated that Pakistani forces responded forcefully and had occupied 19 Afghan border posts. Earlier in the week, Pakistani forces had reportedly “effectively targeted” several Afghan posts and militant formations during the initial exchange.
The Trigger: Airspace Violations
The immediate cause of the Afghan retaliation was last week’s reported air strikes. Afghan officials had accused Pakistan of bombing both the capital, Kabul, and a marketplace in the eastern part of the country.
While Pakistan has not explicitly confirmed its role in the air strikes, officials in Islamabad have repeatedly demanded that Kabul stop harbouring the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an anti-Pakistan militant group believed to use Afghan soil for launching attacks. Security sources in Pakistan suggested the recent firing from the Afghan side was aimed at facilitating the illegal entry of TTP militants into Pakistani territory.
Official Reactions
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Afghan action as “provocations” and vowed a “strong” response.
- Afghanistan’s defense ministry stated its forces carried out “retaliatory and successful operations,” and warned that if Pakistan “again violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared… and will deliver a strong response.”
The escalating violence has already affected trade, with the Torkham border crossing, a major trade route, failing to open at its usual time on Sunday.