At least 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and dozens wounded in fierce overnight clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, according to Taliban officials in Kabul. The Afghan forces reportedly seized over 20 Pakistani military outposts in what they described as retaliatory operations following cross-border shelling.
The escalation came after Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing Kabul and a nearby market earlier in the week—an allegation Islamabad denied. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces captured 25 Pakistani positions and wounded 30 soldiers, asserting that “the situation along the borders is fully under control.”
The Taliban Defence Ministry warned that any future violation of Afghan sovereignty would meet a “strong response.” The Torkham and Chaman border crossings remained closed on Sunday, halting trade and travel. Many Afghan refugees were forced to flee as security deteriorated.
Witnesses near Chaman reported explosions and rising smoke from Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province, where military aircraft were seen overhead.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks, claiming the army had “responded appropriately” and destroyed Afghan positions. Pakistani security officials alleged that over 200 Taliban fighters were neutralised, though the figures could not be independently verified.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar called for restraint and dialogue. Meanwhile, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, visiting India, stated that Afghanistan respected the Gulf powers’ appeals but would defend its sovereignty “if necessary.”
The confrontation threatens to destabilise the region, with Pakistan accusing Kabul of sheltering members of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and India of backing armed groups. The renewed fighting along the Durand Line, a long-contested border, raises fears of wider conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours.
