Afghanistan launched an assault on Pakistani forces yesterday, claiming to have killed and captured numerous soldiers, a statement refuted by the Islamabad government. The offensive, occurring at various points along the border, follows a string of border clashes and Pakistani attacks on Afghanistan in recent times.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban government, stated, “In response to repeated breaches by the Pakistani military, extensive offensive operations were initiated against Pakistani military bases and installations.” The governor’s office and residents in Kunar province confirmed ongoing military actions, with Afghan officials reporting operations in multiple other provinces.
Pakistan stated that they are responding promptly and effectively to the attack. According to Islamabad’s information ministry, Afghanistan initiated unprovoked firing at several locations across the border in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Mujahid informed AFP that Afghan forces seized over 15 Pakistani outposts within two hours, with casualties reported on the Pakistani side.
Contrarily, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that no Pakistani posts were captured or damaged, asserting that Pakistani forces inflicted substantial losses in retaliation. Near the Torkham border crossing, an Afghan official reported multiple civilian injuries at a camp for returnees from Pakistan due to a mortar shell hitting the area.
The border has been predominantly closed since the October conflict, although Afghan returnees have been allowed passage. The recent military operation by Afghanistan follows Pakistani strikes on Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, resulting in civilian casualties as per the UN mission in Afghanistan. Both sides reported cross-border firing without casualties on Tuesday.
The relationship between the two nations has deteriorated in recent months, with land border closures since the deadly October clashes that claimed over 70 lives on both sides. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations and a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, a lasting agreement has not been reached. Saudi Arabia intervened to mediate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan in October.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of not taking action against militant groups that conduct attacks within Pakistan, a claim denied by the Taliban government. Pakistan initiated air strikes on Afghanistan following a series of fatal suicide bombings, including an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad and a restaurant bombing in Kabul claimed by the Islamic State group’s regional chapter, Islamic State-Khorasan.