Afghan forces report killing over 200 Afghan soldiers and terrorists in night fighting at the Pakistan border, prompting a sharp rise in tensions between the two countries.
Afghan‑Pakistani Border Clash Claims 200 Soldiers
More than 200 Afghan soldiers and militants were reported killed in night fighting along the Afghanistan‑Pakistan border.
Higher Casualty Figures Reported
The number of wounded is said to be much higher, and 23 Pakistani soldiers also lost their lives in the clashes.
Taliban’s Initial Casualty Report
Earlier, Afghan Taliban officials had announced that 58 Pakistani soldiers and nine Afghan soldiers had died during the same night battles.
Retaliatory Air Strike Claim by Pakistan
On the evening of Saturday, 11 October, Afghan forces attacked along the border, allegedly in retaliation for a Pakistani air strike on Kabul, which Pakistan denied but said was a defensive action against rebels allegedly commanded from Afghanistan.
Pakistan Closes Border Crossings
Owing to the tense situation, Pakistan shut its border crossings with Afghanistan on Sunday. Both sides claim casualty of each other’s border posts; near cease‑fire by Sunday morning, sporadic gunfire continued in Pakistan’s Kurram region.
Foreign Minister’s Statement on Security Measures
Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar said he expects the Taliban government to take concrete action against terrorist elements that threaten Pakistan‑Afghanistan relations and pledged to defend Pakistani territory, sovereignty, and its citizens, emphasizing that the response was not directed at civilians.
