Pakistani forces kill Afghan Taliban fighters in border escalation

Pakistani security forces reported an exchange of fire with Afghan Taliban fighters on the Pakistan-Afghan border in the Gulistan area on Friday, resulting in the deaths of several Afghan Taliban members. This incident follows Pakistani airstrikes on Thursday targeting "terrorist hideouts" in Afghanistan, which Pakistan stated were in response to alleged drone incursions into its territory on Wednesday. The Afghan government denied launching drones and condemned the Pakistani airstrikes, vowing an "appropriate response." Tensions between the two countries are escalating over Pakistan's accusations that Afghanistan harbors militants responsible for cross-border attacks, claims which Kabul denies.

Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, targeting what it described as 10 "identified military objectives" linked to recent attacks against Pakistan. The Taliban government in Afghanistan claims these strikes killed four civilians and occurred in Khost province, stating there were no military bases or personnel in the affected area, only civilian homes. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the action as "reckless, careless, and hostile" and warned of adverse consequences for the Pakistani military. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar asserted the strikes were "deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate." This escalation follows a period of relative calm and a recent attack on a mosque in Pakistan, which Islamabad attributes to militants harbored by Kabul, a claim Afghanistan's Taliban government denies.

Pakistan conducted air strikes on Thursday in Afghanistan's southeastern Khost province, targeting 10 locations used to store and launch drones. The Pakistani government stated these strikes were a response to drone attacks originating from Afghanistan, which it considers a violation of its sovereignty. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring fighters who stage cross-border attacks, a claim the Afghan Taliban government denies. While Afghan officials reported no casualties from the Pakistani strikes in Khost, a resident in Kandahar reported an air strike hit the city. These actions escalate tensions between the two countries, following recent deadly attacks in Pakistan attributed to a Pakistan Taliban faction.