Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting enters fifth day
Afghanistan and Pakistan said that as their conflict entered the fifth day, their armies targeted each other’s cross-border positions, increasing instability in the region shaken by US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation.
However, the intensity of the fighting appeared to be lower than when it began, although there was no sign that the allies-turned-enemies wanted to back down and make peace. Direct clashes between the South Asian neighbors, who share a 2,600-kilometer border, are the most violent in recent years.
It all started when Taliban rulers in Afghanistan launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani facilities in response to Pakistan’s targeting of militants in Afghanistan.
Dozens of people were killed on both sides as Pakistan used jets to launch air-to-surface missiles at Taliban military sites and even directly targeted the Afghan government for the first time over allegations it was harboring militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government.
On Monday, the Taliban defense ministry said Afghan forces targeted and destroyed a Pakistani military armored tank on the border in Pktika province after indiscriminate shelling into Afghanistan.
Defense ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi said Afghan forces have killed more than 100 enemy personnel and captured more than 25 Pakistani military posts so far.
Pakistani jets tried to bomb Bagram air base outside Kabul and were repelled by Russian-made ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns, Afghan police said late Sunday. It was stated that there was no loss of life or material loss.
Pakistani security sources said airstrikes and ground strikes continued and Pakistani troops destroyed ammunition depots in Khost and Jalalabad, as well as a drone storage area in Jalalabad, among other targets.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaulla Tarar, in a post on channel X, said that Pakistani forces have killed 435 Afghan soldiers, destroyed 188 positions and captured 31 more positions so far.
He said Pakistan also destroyed 188 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery guns and targeted 51 points by air.
Since the conflict began, both sides claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on the other; These figures were not verified by Reuters.
