Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy cross-border fire on Thursday after Kabul launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions, prompting Islamabad to accuse the Afghan Taliban administration of “unprovoked action” and insisting its forces delivered an “immediate and effective response” across multiple sectors of the frontier.
Cross-border clashes intensified Thursday along the Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier, with both sides reporting military operations and casualties in some of the most serious fighting since recent tensions began to escalate.
Afghan government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Kabul had initiated “extensive retaliatory offensive operations” against Pakistani military centers and installations along the Durand Line, claiming the move was in response to what he called “continued aggressions of Pakistan’s military regime.” According to Afghan officials, the strikes were launched from Khost, Paktia and Nuristan provinces, and included “laser-equipped units” operating under night cover.
In a separate update, Pakistani Prime Minister’s Spokesperson for Foreign Media Mosharraf Zaidi said late Thursday that no Pakistani military posts had been captured or damaged in the ongoing clashes, and that Pakistan had inflicted “heavy losses” across the border.
