Islamabad/Quetta: Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said Afghan Taliban fighters carried out coordinated attacks on 16 locations in northern Balochistan, claiming Pakistani forces repelled the assaults and killed at least 27 militants.
According to the minister, the attacks targeted areas including Qila Saifullah, Nushki, and Chaman, while clashes were reported at 25 separate points along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Tarar said all attempted incursions were “effectively repulsed,” adding that 27 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and several others injured. He further claimed that 40 militants were killed during overnight operations.
One soldier of FC Balochistan North was killed and five others injured during the fighting, he added.
Escalating Border Clashes
Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan has continued since last Thursday, marking one of the most intense flare-ups in recent years along the 2,600-kilometre border.
Tarar stated that militants attempted a ground assault at one location and carried out firing raids at 12 points, all of which were thwarted without additional casualties on the Pakistani side. “Follow-up operations are still ongoing,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports from Afghanistan indicated explosions, anti-aircraft fire, and gunshots heard in Kabul early Tuesday. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence said fighting against Pakistani forces was “still ongoing.”
News agency AFP reported that its journalist in Jalalabad confirmed multiple explosions in Kabul. Residents near the Torkham Border Crossing also said clashes had continued for several days.
Claims and Counterclaims
Pakistan maintains that cross-border tensions escalated after Afghanistan allegedly responded to Pakistani airstrikes by attacking border posts. Kabul, however, has accused Islamabad of conducting drone strikes in Afghan territory.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence claimed it shot down a Pakistani drone in Parwan province before it reached its target and targeted a Pakistani military post in Kurram district.
According to AFP, Afghan authorities said at least 39 civilians have been killed since Thursday, though Pakistan has not commented on that figure.
United Nations Calls for Restraint
The United Nations Children’s Fund expressed concern over reports of child casualties and urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint and protect civilians.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also reiterated its call for an immediate halt to border clashes, warning that continued hostilities could worsen Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian situation.
Operation “Ghazab-ul-Haq”
Providing further details, Tarar said Pakistan’s ongoing military campaign, dubbed “Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq,” has resulted in the deaths of 435 Afghan Taliban personnel and injuries to over 630 others by Monday afternoon.
He claimed that 188 Afghan check posts had been destroyed and 31 captured, while 188 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery units were neutralized. Additionally, 51 locations across Afghanistan were targeted through aerial operations.
Reuters previously quoted Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry as saying Afghan forces destroyed a Pakistani armored vehicle in Paktika province and repelled attempted airstrikes near the Bagram Air Base using anti-aircraft weapons.
Pakistan’s Position
Pakistan says the core issue remains militancy, alleging that Afghanistan has failed to act against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters who carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used for cross-border attacks. Afghan authorities deny harboring militants and insist that Pakistan’s security challenges are an internal matter.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister has reiterated that Islamabad’s sole demand is that Afghan soil not be used against Pakistan.
