Latest on Pakistan–Afghanistan Border Clashes: 25 Afghan Posts Seized, Crossings Closed in Escalation
In a dramatic escalation along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier, Kabul and Islamabad have traded sharply diverging versions of last night’s ferocious clashes, each accusing the other of provocative aggression, according to Al Jazeera News.
According to officials from the Taliban government in Kabul, Afghan forces launched retaliatory operations “in response to repeated violations” of its airspace and territory by Pakistan. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesman, claims that in the overnight campaign, 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 25 Pakistani army posts were captured. From the Afghan side, Mujahid asserts that the country’s borders are now under strict control and that illegal incursions have been staunched.
Islamabad, however, offers a sharply different narrative. Pakistani state media report that “numerous Afghan border posts” — 19 by some counts — were taken by Afghan forces. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he called “provocations by Afghanistan,” vowing there will be “no compromise on Pakistan’s defence,” and asserting that every breach will be met with a “strong and effective response.”
Heavy weapons have punctuated the clashes. Pakistani authorities say they responded with artillery fire. Afghan sources report that Pakistani air strikes had struck the outskirts of Kabul and eastern markets earlier this week, although Islamabad has not officially confirmed those attacks.
As the violence spiraled, key border crossings were shut. The Torkham crossing — vital for trade and movement between the two nations — remains closed, along with Chaman and several smaller posts, cutting off essential routes.
International actors have begun to call for de-escalation. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have urged both Kabul and Islamabad to engage in dialogue and avoid further escalation. Analysts warn that with each side reinforcing its positions, the risk of a broader conflict looms, especially amid accusations of harboring militants and disputing entrenched border demarcations.
This story is still developing, with unverified claims on both sides and little independent confirmation yet. What is clear: the fragile fence along the Durand Line is once again at the center of a volatile confrontation.
