Afghanistan kills 58 Pakistani soldiers, wounds 30
Afghanistan said it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in border operations in response to what it called constant violations of its territory and airspace.
Earlier in the week, Afghan officials accused Pakistan of bombing the capital, Kabul, and a market in the east of the country. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for the attack.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman of the Taliban government, said that Afghan forces captured 25 outposts of the Pakistani army overnight and injured 30 soldiers.
“The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is completely under control and illegal activities have been largely prevented,” Mujahid said at a press conference in Kabul. he said.
There is no confirmation yet from Pakistan about the casualties.
The Taliban government’s defense ministry said its forces had conducted “retaliatory and successful operations” along the border.
“If the other side violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity once again, our armed forces are fully ready to defend the country’s borders and will respond strongly,” the ministry said. he said.
The Torkham border crossing, one of the two main trade routes between the two countries, did not open at the normal time of 8am on Sunday.
Pakistan accuses Afghan authorities of harboring members of the banned group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Islamabad says the group has carried out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, but Kabul denies the accusation, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the overnight attack and said the country’s army “not only gave an appropriate response to Afghanistan’s provocations but also destroyed many of their positions, forcing them to retreat.”
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern about the escalation of tensions and its possible repercussions on the security and stability of the region. He called on both sides to prioritize “dialogue, diplomacy and moderation.”
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling for “restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom to help reduce tensions and preserve the security and stability of the region.”
A senior Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Afghan forces opened fire on several northwestern border areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including Chitral, Bajaur, Mohmand, Angoor Adda and Kurram districts.
The official also said troops responded with heavy weapons near Tirah in the Khyber region and along the border in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
The two countries share a 2,611 km border known as the Durand Line, but Afghanistan has never recognized it.
