The Taliban issued a warning to Islamabad regarding the presence of ISIS terrorists, claiming to have eliminated 58 Pakistani soldiers and wounded 30 others in retaliatory strikes along the border following recent airstrikes in Kabul. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid urged Pakistan to expel or hand over key ISIS figures hiding on its soil, emphasizing the global threat posed by the ISIS group. Mujahid also mentioned that Afghanistan, with the support of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, temporarily suspended operations along the Durand Line to safeguard its borders.
Additionally, the Taliban reported casualties on their side during the clashes and accused Pakistan of facilitating new training centers for ISIS recruits in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Mujahid alleged that these recruits were transported through Karachi and Islamabad airports for training. In response to Pakistan’s airstrikes in Kabul and Paktika, Afghanistan launched counterattacks on Pakistani provinces along the border.
The Afghan Defence Ministry affirmed their readiness to defend the nation’s borders against any violation of territorial integrity, condemning the Taliban’s attacks on border posts as unprovoked and targeting civilians. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi criticized the Afghan forces for violating international laws by firing on civilians and assured a strong response to any provocation. The escalating situation between the two countries stemmed from terrorist acts by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly operating from Afghan territory.
The recent incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district, where 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major, lost their lives in a TTP attack, further exacerbated tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.