Taliban Retaliates Against Pakistani Airstrikes: Taliban forces have retaliated against Pakistan’s airstrikes by launching a fierce attack on Pakistani military positions at around 4 a.m. on Friday. The forces used artillery and heavy machine guns, inflicting major damage on the Pakistani army. Several media reports indicate that the fighting is ongoing. As per Afghan media, at least 19 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and several others were injured in the attack. Sources from the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense informed TOLO News that the fight took place along the Durand Line in Khost and Paktia provinces. The Taliban have also claimed to have captured two Pakistani army outposts following the assault.
TOLO News reported that Taliban fighters used heavy weaponry to burn down multiple Pakistani military posts along the Durand Line. In the Dand-e-Patan district of Paktia, the Taliban seized two Pakistani outposts, leaving soldiers either dead or fleeing the area. Taliban’s Ministry of Defense stated that at least 19 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several injured. Meanwhile, the Pakistani army reportedly retaliated by targeting civilian areas with mortar shells, resulting in the deaths of three civilians.
According to TOLO news, Taliban fighters used heavy weaponry to destroy several Pakistani military posts located along the Durand Line. In the Dand-e-Patan district of Paktia, the Taliban seized two Pakistani outposts, leaving Pak soldiers either dead or fleeing the area. Taliban’s Ministry of Defence stated that at least 19 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the dreadful attack.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army reportedly retaliated by targeting civilian areas with mortar shells. These heavy shelling killed three civilians.
Pakistan’s Response To Taliban Attack
Taliban-affiliated media outlet Al Mirsad said that the Taliban’s assault on Pak’s posts was precise and well-coordinated. The attacks were launched from the Dand-e-Patan district towards the Durand Line in the Dabgai area and from Khost province marking and targeting Pakistani positions.
Reports suggest that exchanges of fire between the two sides continued until dawn. Despite the major attack, the Pakistani army has maintained silence, while people living near Afghan border areas have started fleeing their homes.
These attacks have caused major damage to Pakistani military posts, with videos of the assaults now circulating on social media platforms.
Pakistani sources claimed that only one soldier was killed, stating that counterattack resulted in the deaths of three Afghans and injuries to nine others.
Notably, the Paktia province is adjacent to Pakistan’s Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Here the government has closed the borders for 80 days due to ongoing Shia-Sunni disputes.
Pakistan Faces Blowback from Taliban
While Pakistan initially welcomed the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in 2021, it is now facing serious repercussions, which include the loss of its soldiers. The Taliban completely dismisses the legitimacy of the Durand Line as an authoritative border, claiming rights over Peshawar, a province in Pakistan. This has heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, specifically with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, plunging the region into what can be likened to a war zone. The TTP has been implicated in the deaths of almost 400 Pakistani soldiers in the past year alone. Moreover, recent clashes have resulted in the loss of 16 more Pakistani soldiers, in events directly linked to the TTP.
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