Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ At least eight individuals have been killed and 13 others, including civilians, have been injured in ongoing clashes at the Afghan-Pakistan border, which continued late into Saturday night, according to security officials. The violence, which erupted in the wake of escalating tensions between the two nations, has raised concerns about the security situation in the region. The clashes began after Pakistani fighter jets targeted suspected camps of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province earlier this week.
The airstrikes were a response to the growing threat of cross-border militant attacks, especially in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghan-based militants of operating without fear of consequences. The situation worsened when militants on the Afghan side attempted to infiltrate Pakistan on Friday night. Security forces stopped the infiltration attempt, but the militants later joined forces with Afghan troops to launch an attack on Pakistani posts the following morning. The resulting battle, which featured both light and heavy weapons, lasted for several hours.
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Pakistani authorities confirmed that the clashes resulted in the martyrdom of one Frontier Corps soldier and the injuries of 11 others. On the Afghan side, the fatalities included both military personnel and civilians, although specific details about the casualties remain unclear. Afghan forces, alongside militants, targeted multiple Pakistani border posts in areas such as Ghozgarhi, Matha Sangar, Kot Ragha, and Tari Mengal. The assault severely damaged these posts, with security sources reporting significant losses on the Afghan side due to retaliatory fire from Pakistani forces. As the clashes continued throughout the day, the situation remained tense. Pakistani forces managed to force the attackers to retreat from their border positions, but the violence underscored the fragile security situation along the border, which has seen frequent clashes in recent months.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has consistently raised concerns about the use of Afghan soil by militant groups for launching attacks on Pakistani territory. Last week, during a high-level address, he reiterated that such actions are a red line for Pakistan. Sharif called on the Afghan government to take more decisive action against groups like the TTP, emphasizing that while Pakistan is open to dialogue with Kabul, ongoing attacks from Afghan soil cannot be ignored in any discussions. This latest round of violence has further strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. On the same day as the airstrikes, a Pakistani delegation, led by Special Representative Muhammad Sadiq, met with Afghan officials in Kabul to discuss resuming diplomatic dialogue after a year-long hiatus. However, the recent clashes, coupled with accusations of cross-border attacks, have cast a shadow over these diplomatic efforts.
The Afghan government, in turn, has lodged a formal protest over the airstrikes, claiming that they resulted in the deaths of at least 46 civilians, including women and children. This loss of life adds to the already heightened tensions between the two nations. The airstrikes were a response to an attack in South Waziristan last week, which claimed the lives of 16 Pakistani soldiers, further escalating the volatile situation at the border. As both nations face growing pressure to address the ongoing violence, the international community continues to watch the developments closely. The border clashes have not only led to casualties but also threaten to destabilize an already tense region, further complicating efforts for peace and cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
