Pakistan says it repels Afghan fire, inflicts heavy losses

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces responded to what it described as “unprovoked fire” by Afghan Taliban forces at multiple points along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border late on Thursday, the information ministry said, as Kabul said it had launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani positions.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said that Taliban forces opened fire across several sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur districts.

Pakistani troops delivered an “immediate and effective response”, the ministry said in a post on X, claiming heavy casualties were inflicted and multiple Afghan posts were destroyed.

Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said Afghan forces fired on posts in the mountainous northwest, triggering more than two hours of fighting before Pakistani troops retaliated.

In Kabul, the Taliban administration said it had attacked Pakistani military positions along the border in retaliation for recent Pakistani airstrikes, raising fears of renewed escalation between the neighbours.

Videos shared by Afghan security sources showed Humvees moving through mountainous terrain at night amid flashes of gunfire. Reuters could not independently verify the location, timing or authenticity of the footage.

The clashes along the roughly 2,600-km (1,615-mile) frontier, known as the Durand Line, mark the latest flare-up threatening a fragile ceasefire after deadly fighting in October.

Earlier this week, the Taliban warned of an “appropriate and measured response” to airstrikes launched by Pakistan over the weekend on what Islamabad said were camps of militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan in eastern Afghanistan.

Islamabad says TTP leaders operate from Afghan territory and use it as a safe haven to plan attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation Kabul denies.

“In response to repeated provocations and violations by Pakistani military circles, large-scale offensive operations have been launched against Pakistani military positions and installations along the Durand Line,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X, adding that specialised laser units had begun operations taking advantage of the darkness.

Pakistan said it had placed security forces nationwide on “high alert” and intensified intelligence-based operations, arresting dozens of suspected militants, their handlers and facilitators, including Afghan nationals.