The clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan have left dozens of dead on the border on both sidess. According to Pakistani authorities, the clashes have caused the death of 23 of their soldiers, and “more than 200 Taliban and terrorist fighters.” Kabul, on the other hand, has raised the number of dead Pakistani soldiers to 58 and lowered the number of its nationals killed to nine. Both also report numerous injuries.
“During the night clashes, 23 brave sons of Pakistan embraced martyrdom while defending the territorial integrity of our beloved motherland against this outrageous action, while 29 soldiers were injured,” the media wing of the Pakistan Army (ISPR) said in a statement.
The source assessed that, according to “credible” intelligence estimates, “more than 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated terrorists were neutralized, while the number of wounded is much higher.” The figure contrasts with the one offered this Sunday by the Taliban in Kabul, who said 58 Pakistani soldiers and nine Afghans died in the fighting on the Afghan-Pakistani border, where armed clashes continued this Sunday.
Pakistan claims that the clashes began last night cwith “unprovoked” attacks from Afghanistan, while Kabul considers its action a “retaliation operation” for the bombings that, according to the Taliban, Islamabad carried out in Afghan territory last Friday. Both countries have warned this Sunday that they will respond to future attacks.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, has specified in a message published on his profile on the social network Pakistani response is not directed against Afghan civilians. “Unlike the Taliban forces, we exercise extreme caution in our defensive responses to avoid loss of civilian lives. We hope that the Taliban government will take concrete measures against terrorist elements and their perpetrators who wish to derail Pakistan-Afghanistan relations,” he said.
Islamabad has closed all border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including those at Torkham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Chaman in Balochistan.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan deteriorated following the seizure of power of Kabul by fundamentalists in August 2021, following the departure of US troops from the country and the fall of the republican government.
The Pakistani government blames the Afghan Taliban for providing refuge to the TTP – ideological brothers of the Kabul fundamentalists – to carry out attacks in Pakistan. Meanwhile, Kabul denies these accusations.
