Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Erupts in Heavy Clashes After Cross-Border Attacks
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply after heavy overnight clashes along multiple points of the frontier, following cross-border attacks by Taliban and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters.
The violence marks one of the deadliest escalations since Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned of possible strikes inside Afghanistan if militant attacks persisted.
According to The Express Tribune, Taliban and TTP fighters launched coordinated assaults late Saturday on Pakistani military posts in Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral, and Zhob, prompting retaliatory strikes by Pakistan’s forces targeting Taliban security outposts across the border.
Taliban defence officials claimed responsibility for the attacks, calling them a “retaliatory operation” in response to last week’s Pakistani air raids on Kabul and Paktia, which Islamabad said targeted TTP militants. The Taliban said at least 15 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 11 border outposts destroyed, though these figures remain unverified.
Pakistan’s military confirmed it had carried out retaliatory action early Sunday, targeting 20 Taliban positions and reporting several surrenders in Kurram district, but it did not release casualty numbers. Local sources reported heavy explosions and gunfire continuing until midnight, forcing the closure of the Torkham crossing, a key trade route, and disrupting communications in nearby areas.
The renewed clashes come days after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Taliban of failing to curb the TTP’s operations on Afghan soil and warned that Pakistan “reserves the right to hold them accountable — even inside Afghanistan.” His remarks follow a surge in deadly assaults in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 23 people, including seven policemen, were killed in recent TTP-led attacks, according to local and international media.
Regional observers warn the escalating tit-for-tat strikes could push Pakistan and Afghanistan into a deeper security crisis. The UN Security Council has previously noted that TTP fighters continue to enjoy safe havens in Afghanistan, a charge Kabul denies, insisting that Islamabad’s cross-border operations violate its sovereignty.
Both governments have yet to issue formal casualty reports, and independent verification remains unavailable, but the situation along the Durand Line remains volatile with both sides reportedly on high alert.
