https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ ... tan-border
Heavy clashes erupt along Pakistan-Afghanistan border
Haroon Janjua, Sat 11 Oct 2025
Escalation comes after Pakistani airstrike in Kabul, with Taliban launching reprisals against military posts
Intense clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Saturday night after an attack by the Taliban on Pakistani military posts.
This escalation comes after a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul this week, as reported by security officials from both nations.
Taliban forces launched armed reprisals against Pakistani troops, alleging that Islamabad had conducted airstrikes on Afghan territory, according to senior Taliban officials from various provinces. They claimed to have seized two Pakistani border posts in the southern province of Helmand, which was confirmed by local authorities.
Pakistani security officials acknowledged clashes at several border locations, stating they were responding forcefully. “Tonight, Taliban forces began firing at several border points. We retaliated with artillery at four locations along the border,” a Pakistani government official told the Guardian.
“We will not tolerate any aggression from the Afghan Taliban within our territory. Pakistani forces responded with heavy fire, effectively targeting several Afghan border posts,” the official added.
The Pakistan army used artillery, tanks and both light and heavy weaponry in their counterattacks.
On Thursday, two explosions were reported in the Afghan capital and another in southeastern Afghanistan. The Taliban-run defence ministry subsequently accused Pakistan of “violating its sovereignty” in connection with the attacks.
Analysts said recent days showed just how deep the border tensions run.
Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington DC, said: “Intensifying cross-border attacks on Pakistani forces, unusually intense Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan, and Taliban retaliations have created a perfect storm for trouble. If you throw in the fact that Afghanistan doesn’t recognise the border, as well as the proliferation of disinformation about the crisis, it all makes for a precarious situation.”
Islamabad has expressed growing impatience with Kabul, refraining from confirming or denying involvement in the airstrikes.
While Islamabad has not explicitly claimed responsibility for the attacks, it has called on Kabul to cease harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is accused of killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021 and is believed to have received combat training in Afghanistan, sharing ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban.
.......
Gautam