Pakistan, Afghanistan trade fire again as border tensions escalate

Border tensions flare once more

Clashes broke out between Pakistani and Afghan forces in a remote northwestern border area, with Pakistan’s state-run media accusing Afghan troops of launching “unprovoked fire” that was successfully repelled.

According to Pakistan TV and two security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to brief the media, Pakistani troops retaliated by damaging Afghan tanks and military outposts.

Tahir Ahrar, deputy police spokesperson in Afghanistan’s Khost province, confirmed the exchange of fire but did not provide further details.

This marks the second time this week that the two neighbouring countries have engaged in cross-border fighting.

Pakistan’s state-run media reported that Afghan forces, along with Pakistani Taliban fighters, jointly attacked a Pakistani post “without provocation,” prompting what it called a “strong response” from Pakistani troops in Kurram district, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Security officials added that Pakistan’s military also destroyed a major training compound used by the Pakistani Taliban.

Pakistan’s military has not issued an official statement but has remained on high alert since Saturday, when both sides exchanged heavy fire across several border areas, causing dozens of casualties on each side.

Although the fighting subsided on Sunday following mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, all border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain closed.

Over the weekend, Kabul said that it targeted several Pakistani military posts and killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in retaliation for what it called repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace. Pakistan’s military reported lower figures, saying it lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 “Taliban and affiliated terrorists” in retaliatory fire along the frontier.

Tensions have remained high since last week, when the Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in Kabul and in an eastern market. Pakistan has not acknowledged those allegations.

But Pakistan has previously launched strikes inside Afghanistan, saying it targets hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which is separate from but allied to the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistan accuses Kabul of harboring the group, which has carried out numerous deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies the charge, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.

(With AP inputs)