36 Afghan Taliban operatives killed and two Pakistani security personnel martyred during ongoing border clashes, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed on Thursday. The confrontation marks a sharp escalation along the Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier, with both sides trading heavy fire across multiple sectors.
Officials said three Pakistani soldiers were also injured, while Afghan forces reportedly suffered additional casualties.
Government Confirms Casualties
Speaking from Peshawar, Attaullah Tarar said 36 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed during cross-border exchanges.
He confirmed that two Pakistani soldiers were martyred while defending the country, and three others were wounded.
According to Tarar, early field reports suggest additional injuries on the Afghan side. Independent verification remains limited due to restricted access to active combat zones.
Pakistan’s Information Ministry earlier stated on X that Afghan Taliban forces had opened “unprovoked fire” across multiple locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting an immediate and effective response.
Pakistan’s Official Narrative
Islamabad maintains that the latest violence began after Afghan Taliban elements miscalculated and initiated cross-border aggression.
Tarar accused the Afghan Taliban regime and certain Indian-linked social media accounts of spreading “false and baseless propaganda.”
“After their defeat and exposure in the field, the Afghan Taliban regime is resorting to lies,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s professional armed forces were “crushing the aggressors’ intentions.”
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson to the prime minister for foreign media, said late at night that no Pakistani posts had been captured or damaged.
He stated that claims of territorial losses were “fantasy narratives” amplified by hostile propaganda networks.
Fighting Across Multiple Border Sectors
Security sources reported heavy exchanges in Chitral, Mohmand, Kurram, Bajaur and Khyber districts.
Pakistani forces targeted and destroyed Afghan Taliban posts across the border in Arandu sector of Chitral and Nawagai sector in Bajaur. Two additional Afghan check posts were reportedly destroyed.
Artillery fire was also reported near Maro Sar and Shah Kot Sar in the Bazaar-Zakhakhel area. Mortar shells fell near residential compounds, though no civilian casualties were confirmed.
The cross-fire began around early evening and continued late into the night, forcing local residents to seek shelter.
Border forces at the Torkham crossing were placed on high alert. The crossing has remained closed since mid-October last year following earlier tensions.
Clashes Follow Recent Air Strikes
The current escalation comes days after Pakistan conducted targeted air operations in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan.
Initially, officials reported over 80 militants killed. Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said there were indications that more than 100 militants had been eliminated.
According to Pakistan’s Information Ministry, the strikes were intelligence-based operations targeting camps linked to banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, referred to by the state as Fitna-al-Khawarij, and elements affiliated with Islamic State-Khorasan.
Islamabad said the operations followed a series of deadly attacks inside Pakistan, including a suicide bombing at an Islamabad imambargah and assaults in Bannu and Bajaur.
Diplomatic Fallout and Regional Reaction
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Kabul to dismantle sanctuaries used by militant groups targeting Pakistani territory.
President Asif Ali Zardari recently stated that Pakistan’s actions stem from its inherent right to self-defense.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also warned that peace depends on Afghanistan addressing cross-border militancy concerns.
A recent report by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team raised concerns about Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan operating from Afghan soil, heightening regional anxiety.
International agencies including Reuters and the Associated Press have reported on the escalating border instability.
Why It Matters
The killing of 36 Afghan Taliban operatives during the latest clashes underscores rising volatility along Pakistan’s western frontier.
Socially, border communities face uncertainty and displacement risks. Politically, the confrontation tests fragile diplomatic channels between Islamabad and Kabul. Economically, prolonged instability could disrupt cross-border trade routes and transit corridors.
Regionally, the escalation adds pressure to South Asia’s already fragile security landscape.
What Happens Next
Military reinforcements remain deployed across sensitive sectors.
Diplomatic engagement may intensify through backchannels, though no formal mediation has been announced.
Security analysts expect Pakistan to continue intelligence-driven operations if cross-border threats persist.
The coming days will determine whether tensions stabilize or escalate further.
FAQs
How many casualties were confirmed?
Pakistan confirmed 36 Afghan Taliban operatives killed and two Pakistani soldiers martyred. Three soldiers were injured.
Where did the clashes occur?
Fighting was reported in Chitral, Mohmand, Kurram, Bajaur and Khyber districts along the border.
What triggered the escalation?
Pakistan says Afghan Taliban forces opened unprovoked fire, prompting an immediate response.
Has any territory been captured?
Pakistani officials deny claims that any of their posts were captured or damaged.
