‘15 outposts captured, 40 Pak soldiers killed,’ says Afghan; 22 Taliban personnel slain in retaliatory action, claims Islamabad

The Afghanistan government said on Thursday night that it had captured 15 Pakistani military outposts and killed several soldiers in a large-scale border offensive, describing the operation as retaliation for recent Pakistani air strikes on Afghan territory. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X that Afghan forces had inflicted significant losses in attacks across the disputed Durand Line. “Several soldiers have been killed, and a number of them have been caught alive,” he wrote on X.

He added that “the number of posts captured from the enemy has reached 15.”

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said that around 40 members of Pakistan’s military regime forces have been killed in Kunar province as a result of operations carried out by the Islamic Emirate forces, reported TOLOnews.

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Afghanistan’s military corps in the east reported that “heavy clashes” began on Thursday night in retaliation for Pakistani air strikes earlier in the week.

A military spokesman said Afghan forces in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces had launched “heavy attacks on Pakistani outposts”.

Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the military in eastern Afghanistan, said, “So far, there are no casualties on the Afghan side.”

Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban government’s deputy spokesman, confirmed that “15 outposts have been captured” by Afghan forces.

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‘At least 22 personnel of the Afghan Taliban regime killed’

Pakistan accused Afghanistan of initiating the confrontation and said Afghan forces had “opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations” across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“Afghan Taliban miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations across Pakistan Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is being met with immediate, and effective response by Pakistan’s security forces,” Pakistan’s information ministry said in a post on X.

“The Taliban regime forces are being delivered punishment in Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors,” it added.

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Security forces in Pakistan said at least 22 personnel of the Afghan Taliban regime were killed in retaliatory fire.

The security forces launched operation Ghazab-lil-haqq after the Taliban regime’s unprovoked action along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, reported Geo News, citing sources.

“Afghan Taliban’s attempts to attack Pakistani security forces’ check posts using quadcopters failed, and all quadcopters were shot down by Pakistani forces in swift and timely action,” security sources claimed.

Pakistani security forces are responding with light and heavy weapons and Afghan Taliban positions were being targeted by drones, said the sources, adding, “False claims and fake videos were also being circulated on social media by the Taliban regime.”

The latest escalation follows Pakistani military strikes along the border with Afghanistan on Sunday. Pakistan’s military said it had killed at least 70 militants in the strikes. Kabul rejected the claim and insisted that the air raids had instead killed dozens of civilians, including women and children.