In a significant increase in tensions at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, clashes erupted on Saturday night, as Afghan forces, led by the Taliban, took control of multiple Pakistani Army outposts along the Durand Line in Kunar and Helmand provinces, according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense.
An official from the Afghan Defense stated that Taliban forces had seized several outposts from the Pakistani Army in Kunar and Helmand provinces. Reports indicate that at least 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others wounded in the ongoing border conflicts, particularly in areas like Shakij, Bibi Jani, and Salehan in Bahramcha district and Aryub Zazi district in Paktia.
Pakistani security officials responded by stating that they were retaliating strongly against what they deemed as unprovoked attacks from Afghanistan. The Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesperson described the operation as a response to Pakistan’s breach of Afghan airspace, noting that the clashes had ended by midnight local time.
Qatar expressed worries about the rising border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, urging both nations to show restraint and resolve their disputes through dialogue. The recent cross-border clashes follow reports of a Pakistani airstrike near Kabul, prompting retaliatory actions by Afghanistan targeting Pakistani military positions in Nangarhar and Kunar.
Sources also reported clashes in Paktia province’s Aryoub Zazi district, extending to nearby areas. The Afghan Defense Ministry claimed that Pakistani facilities were destroyed in the attacks, with outposts in Kunar and Helmand reportedly demolished, along with casualties and losses of weapons and vehicles on the Pakistani side. The conflict seems to have spread to multiple provinces, including Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Kunar, Helmand, and Nangarhar.
This escalation is viewed as one of the most severe since the Taliban regained power in 2021, underscoring the delicate and volatile nature of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, marked by territorial disputes and allegations of harboring militants.