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Islamabad: Tensions along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated once again. Pakistani security forces claim to have killed several Afghan Taliban fighters during a clash on Thursday in the Gulistan sector ( sector) of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. According to Pakistani state media, Afghan Taliban fighters allegedly attempted to cross into Pakistani territory and launch an attack; Pakistani forces subsequently retaliated. However, the death toll and the circumstances surrounding the incident have not been independently verified.
Pakistan had previously conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan
This development follows airstrikes and drone attacks carried out by Pakistan on Thursday against 10 targets in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, stated that drones from the Afghan side had entered Pakistan on Wednesday. Subsequently, Pakistan exercised its right to self-defense by launching military action in Afghanistan. Tarar said:
“Exercising its sovereign right to self-defense, Pakistan conducted precision airstrikes and drone attacks on 10 targets in Afghanistan from where these drones were being launched or stationed.”
He described the strikes as “deliberate, precise, balanced, and proportionate.” According to him, the action was limited to military targets directly linked to the alleged drone attacks against Pakistan. Terming the drone incursion an “open violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Tarar called it a “serious and unacceptable act of aggression.” Clash between the two sides in the Gulistan sector
Pakistan’s state news agency, APP, citing security sources, reported that Afghan Taliban fighters attempted to enter Pakistani territory in the Gulistan sector of Balochistan. According to the report, their objective was to carry out “aggressive action.” Pakistani security forces retaliated, reportedly killing several Afghan Taliban fighters. The report stated that intermittent firing between the two sides continued even after midnight. However, the Afghan Taliban did not immediately issue a detailed statement regarding the clash in Gulistan.
Afghanistan claims civilian casualties
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban government, stated in a social media post on Thursday that four Afghan civilians were killed in Pakistani airstrikes and drone attacks. He said that Kabul would give a “strong and appropriate response” to these attacks. Mujahid warned that such actions would have “serious consequences for the Pakistani army.” Afghanistan also denied Pakistan’s claim that drone attacks had been launched from its side. Kabul has strongly condemned the Pakistani attacks.
Pakistan claimed to have shot down 8 drones
Pakistan had stated on Wednesday that its security forces shot down eight drones. It was claimed that four drones were downed near the Torkham border and four near Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Afghanistan had denied any role in these drone attacks. A day later, Pakistan conducted airstrikes and drone attacks on ten targets in Afghanistan.
Tensions escalating since the September 21 attacks
The Pakistani airstrikes on September 21 mark another significant development in the ongoing tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Regarding this operation, Islamabad stated that camps and hideouts belonging to the banned TTP in Afghanistan were targeted, resulting in the killing of 28 terrorists, including several suicide bombers. However, Afghan officials rejected Pakistan’s claim, stating that at least three civilians were killed and four others injured in the attacks. The Taliban government condemned the Pakistani action and summoned Islamabad’s Chargé d’Affaires to lodge a protest.
**Long-standing dispute between the two nations over the TTP**
Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing sanctuary to the TTP and affiliated terrorist organizations within its territory. Islamabad alleges that members of these groups use Afghan soil to plan and execute attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that Afghan territory is not permitted to be used for attacks against neighboring countries. Pakistan states that its current military action is part of the counter-terrorism campaign ‘Gazab-e-Lil-Haq’, which was launched in February.
