Pakistan claims 13 Afghan forces killed in border clashes
Pakistan's security forces reported killing 13 Afghan military personnel during gunfire exchanges along the shared border, marking a fresh escalation in recent tensions. Afghanistan's government denied the claim, and the incident follows a series of cross-border strikes and drone allegations throughout the week.
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Pakistani security sources stated that 13 Afghan security personnel were killed during an armed exchange along the border in the Gulistan area, representing the latest increase in conflict between the two countries. Pakistan reported that members of the Afghan Taliban were involved in the clashes, though fighting reportedly remained ongoing. Afghanistan's government rejected the claim, and independent verification from either side has not been provided.
The border incident followed a week of escalating attacks and accusations. Afghanistan's government announced it would deliver an appropriate response after Pakistani air strikes struck ten locations across Afghan territory. Pakistan defended the strikes as retaliation against what Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described as a 'deliberate and unlawful incursion into Pakistan by drones,' with the raids specifically targeting 'terrorist hideouts and support infrastructure including drone launching and storage sites.'
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the strikes hit the provinces of Kandahar, Paktia and Khost, while Taliban officials denied launching any drones against Pakistan. Pakistan maintains that Kabul harbours militants responsible for cross-border attacks—a charge the Afghan government rejects, arguing instead that such violence represents Pakistan's internal security matter. The escalation threatens to undermine ongoing mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which have worked to establish lasting peace between the nations following their most intense fighting in February.
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