Ties between Pakistan and Afghan Forces have sharply increased after heavy clashes along the border allegedly initiated by Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. The Afghan government, led by the Taliban, asserted that its troops had conducted a “retaliatory operation” against several Pakistani military installations on the Durand Line, one of the bloodiest border clashes between the two in recent times.
As per Hindustan Times and NDTV reports, the Afghan officials claim that more than 15 Pakistani troops were killed and three of their border outposts were taken over during the clashes. The fighting was reported to have taken place across restive provinces like Helmand, Kunar, and Nangarhar on the Afghan side, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on the Pakistani side. The Taliban government stated that their action was a direct reaction to “violations of Afghan airspace” by Pakistan.
Pakistan has refused to carry out airstrikes within Kabul, but its military officers blamed the Taliban regime for sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, who have carried out multiple attacks within Pakistan. As a reaction to what they termed as “provocative actions” from the other side of the border, Pakistan’s security forces allegedly employed artillery fire against four Afghan positions, causing damage to infrastructure and compelling Taliban troops to retreat.
The situation is still fluid and extremely volatile, with the two countries dashing each other’s contradictory reports regarding casualties and control of territory. Afghan military sources also accused Pakistan of launching drone surveillance and shooting down three Afghan quadcopters laden with explosives, marking a new era of drone warfare in the border war.
The recent violence comes after months of increasing tension between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan blames the Taliban government for providing safe havens to TTP militants, while Afghanistan has repeatedly denounced Pakistani air and drone raids into Afghan airspace. The two nations, long in conflict over the contested Durand Line border, have seen repeated border skirmishes in the past—but experts say the latest escalation is the worst since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
So far, independent confirmation of battlefield assertions is scarce, as there are no international observers in the conflict area. Humanitarian organizations expressed concerns regarding possible civilian displacement in the adjacent border regions.
The onlookers caution that unless diplomatic talks resume in a short while, the region can degenerate into long-term instability, jeopardizing the tenuous peace throughout South and Central Asia.
