Afghanistan says it launches attacks against Pakistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban gov’t spokesman says attacks kill “numerous soldiers” as Pakistan says its forces have responsded.

Afghanistan has launched attacks againt Pakistani military positions along the border in response to Pakistani air strikes last week, Taliban authorities said, as Pakistan said its forces had responded.

The media office of Afghanistan’s military corps in the East said in a statement that “heavy clashes” had begun late on Thursday “in response to the recent airstrikes carried out by Pakistani forces in Nangarhar and Paktia” provinces.

“In response ‌to repeated provocations and violations by Pakistani military circles, large-scale offensive operations have been launched ⁠against Pakistani military ⁠positions and installations along the Durand Line,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah ⁠Mujahid wrote in a post on X.

The two countries’ 2,611-kilometre (1,622-mile) long border is known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognised.

Mujahid later posted that Afghan forces had killed “numerous soldiers” and that “some have also been captured alive”, adding that 15 outposts were “captured from the enemy”.