Taliban kill 58 Pak troops along border; Islamabad claims 200 Afghan fatalities

Tensions flared up along the Durand Line over the weekend after fierce overnight clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani forces left dozens dead, prompting appeals for calm from regional countries.

The Taliban claimed its forces launched retaliatory strikes on Saturday night, killing 58 Pakistani soldiers, wounding 30 and destroying 20 outposts. Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said nine Afghan fighters were killed and 16 wounded in the exchange. The operation, he added, was halted at midnight following mediation requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Islamabad rejected the casualty figures, calling the Taliban’s actions “unprovoked and provocative”. Pakistan media, quoting ISPR’s statement, stated that more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists were neutralised, while the number of injured was much higher.

Mujahid accused ISIS-K of regrouping in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and using it as a base for attacks in neighbouring countries. He demanded that Pakistan hand over alleged ISIS-K operatives hiding on its soil and warned that any violation of Afghan sovereignty “will not go unanswered”.

A separate statement from Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat described the strikes as a response to “provocations” from within the Pakistani military, accusing it of spreading misinformation and backing extremist hideouts along the border.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called the Taliban’s actions “a serious provocation”, asserting that Islamabad’s recent strikes were aimed at “terrorist infrastructure operating from Afghan soil”. He maintained that Pakistan’s operations were defensive and not directed against Afghan civilians.

The Pakistani military, in a separate statement, detailed a deadly attack on a police training school in Dera Ismail Khan on the night of October 10–11, which left six policemen and one civilian dead. According to Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, the assault was carried out by militants who had infiltrated from Afghan territory. Eight attackers were killed in retaliatory operations.

Both sides have exchanged accusations of harbouring militants. The Taliban denied the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, saying those Pakistanis living across the border were displaced during earlier military operations. Islamabad, meanwhile, insists militant groups continue to use Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

In New Delhi, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during a presser maintained that Afghanistan wanted peace but would respond if its “rights on the borders” were violated. “There are certain elements in Pakistan trying to worsen the situation. Our operation last night was retaliatory, and our target was achieved. However, we have kept the doors of dialogue open,” he said. Rejecting Islamabad’s allegations of providing safe havens to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, Muttaqi said, “There is no TTP centre in Afghanistan. Those currently in Afghanistan are displaced persons from Pakistan’s tribal areas who crossed over during earlier military operations.”

Meanwhile, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran called on both sides to exercise restraint. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry urged Kabul and Islamabad to “contain differences and avoid escalation”, while Iran offered to mediate to “help reduce tensions”.