Taliban and Pakistani forces exchanged fire across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, escalating tensions following an air strike on Kabul earlier this week. The cross-border clashes prompted calls for restraint from regional powers, including Iran, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Enayatullah Khwarizmi, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, described the operations as “successful retaliatory” attacks carried out by Taliban forces in response to what he called Pakistan’s “repeated violations” and air strikes on Afghan territory. He confirmed on X that the operation concluded at midnight.
Pakistan’s Minister of Interior, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the Afghan attacks as “unprovoked,” asserting that Pakistani forces responded “with a stone for every brick.” Radio Pakistan reported that fighting occurred at six locations along the border and included heavy gun and artillery fire. The clashes follow Thursday’s explosions in Kabul, which the Taliban blamed on Pakistan, though Islamabad has not claimed responsibility.
