Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Exchange Heavy Fire Across Durand Line
Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Exchange Heavy Fire Across Durand Line
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Heavy overnight clashes erupted along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier after cross-border strikes and retaliatory attacks, forcing closure of key crossings and prompting conflicting casualty claims from both sides.
Heavy fighting broke out late Saturday along multiple sectors of the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier, as Taliban fighters and Pakistani security forces traded artillery and small-arms fire in what both sides described as retaliatory operations, sending shockwaves through border communities and disrupting trade routes. Reuters reported that exchanges occurred near Torkham, Kurram, Bajaur, Dir, Chitral and Zhob, and that Islamabad closed major crossings including Torkham and Chaman after the violence.
Pakistan’s military said it launched strikes against roughly 20 Taliban positions after militants attacked Pakistani posts, and the army claimed it inflicted heavy losses on opposing fighters; Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also confirmed at least 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clashes, while army statements put militant fatalities far higher — figures that Reuters and other outlets stressed could not be independently verified. The Taliban, however, claimed it had killed dozens of Pakistani troops, with one statement asserting 58 Pakistani soldiers were slain; these rival tallies remain uncorroborated.
The violence followed reported Pakistani airstrikes earlier in the week on Kabul and Paktia provinces targeting Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) elements, which Afghan authorities condemned as violations of sovereignty and which Taliban officials said precipitated the weekend’s retaliatory operations. The Express Tribune and other Pakistani outlets said Taliban and TTP fighters coordinated attacks on multiple frontier posts before Pakistani forces responded.
Beyond battlefield claims, the clashes caused significant civilian disruption: local residents reported prolonged gunfire and explosions, communications and transport were interrupted in border districts, and the closure of the Torkham crossing — a major trade artery — suspended cross-border movement and trade. Reuters noted that fighting eased by Sunday morning after diplomatic interventions reportedly urged by Qatar and Saudi Arabia; both Islamabad and Kabul signalled a desire to de-escalate even as both militaries remained on high alert.
Analysts warn the flare-up underscores a mounting security dilemma: Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring TTP militants responsible for a string of deadly attacks, while Kabul rejects charges of state sponsorship. Independent verification of battlefield deaths is lacking, and the risk of further retaliatory cycles raises concerns about broader regional instability. UN and regional diplomatic engagement are likely to shape whether this episode subsides or escalates further.
