Daijiworld Media Network – Kabul
Kabul, Octv 15: Dozens were killed and several others injured as fresh cross-border clashes broke out between Afghan and Pakistani forces in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering fears of an escalating regional conflict. Reports said Afghan Taliban fighters destroyed a Pakistan Army border post and seized a tank used in strikes against their positions.
The fighting spanned Pakistan’s Chaman district and Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak area in Kandahar province, with both sides blaming each other for initiating the hostilities.
Afghanistan’s claim
According to Afghan officials, 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed during overnight operations, while Pakistan claimed to have killed over 200 Afghan soldiers, with 23 of its own troops dead.
In a statement posted on X, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistani forces of launching unprovoked attacks on the Spin Boldak border district using both light and heavy weaponry. He said at least 12 civilians were killed and over 100 others injured in Pakistani strikes before Afghan forces retaliated.
“Unfortunately, this morning, Pakistani forces once again launched attacks on Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district. More than 12 civilians were martyred and over 100 injured. Afghan forces were forced to respond in defense,” Mujahid wrote.
He further claimed that Afghan troops killed several Pakistani soldiers, captured weapons and tanks, and destroyed multiple Pakistani military installations during retaliatory operations. Videos released by the Taliban appeared to show the bodies of Pakistani security personnel, with Taliban fighters seen mocking the dead — a move that has drawn condemnation online.
Pakistan’s response
Pakistan’s state-run media accused Afghan and Pakistani Taliban fighters of jointly opening fire on a Pakistani military post “without provocation,” prompting what it described as a “strong response.”
“Taliban forces attacked a Pakistani post near Chaman,” confirmed Habib Ullah Bangulzai, the regional administrator in Chaman district, adding that Pakistani troops had “repulsed the attack” after nearly five hours of heavy fighting.
Pakistani security sources told the Associated Press that their forces destroyed Afghan tanks, border posts, and a training facility of the Pakistani Taliban during retaliatory strikes.
In a separate assault by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on the Mahmoodzai Post in Orakzai’s Ghiljo area, at least eight Frontier Corps personnel were killed, with several others wounded and some reported missing.
Escalating tensions
This marks the second major exchange of fire this week along the volatile border, intensifying hostilities between Islamabad and Kabul. The violence follows recent strikes in Kabul and Paktika province that the Taliban blamed on Pakistan—claims Islamabad has not officially confirmed.
The latest clashes coincide with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, adding a diplomatic twist to the conflict.
Tensions between the two nations have simmered for months, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban regime of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and allowing them to launch attacks across the border—allegations that Kabul has repeatedly denied.
The renewed violence underscores the fragile security situation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and the growing risk of the conflict spilling over into a broader regional crisis.