Taliban seizes Pakistani posts; Islamabad launches major retaliatory operation
What's the story
Pakistan has launched "Operation Ghazab Lil Haq" against Afghanistan's Taliban regime. The operation comes after Kabul claimed its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers in cross-border strikes on Thursday. Pakistan's state broadcaster PTV News reported the operation was launched in response to "unprovoked aggression" from Afghanistan. Later, Pakistan Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that 133 Afghans were killed and over 200 were injured in the operation.
Call for unity
Asif calls on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to join forces
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to join forces with federal authorities and other provinces. He said the armed forces were delivering a "crushing response" to the Afghan Taliban's aggression. The latest escalation comes after Afghanistan claimed it had captured 19 Pakistani military outposts and a major headquarters at Anzar Sar in Khost province.
Offensive operations
Fitrat claims up to 55 Pakistani soldiers killed
Afghanistan's Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat wrote on X about "heavy retaliatory offensive operations" along the Durand Line carried out by the 203 Mansouri Corps and the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps. He claimed that "up to 55 Pakistani soldiers have been killed," with 23 bodies recovered and others taken alive. Fitrat also said dozens of weapons were seized during the operations, which are continuing across several eastern provinces.
Casualty dispute
Pakistan rejects Kabul's casualty figures
Pakistan has rejected Kabul's casualty figures. Information Minister Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded, while 36 Afghan fighters had died. He called Afghanistan's actions unprovoked and said Pakistan was giving a "strong and effective response." The clashes follow Pakistani airstrikes earlier this week that Islamabad said targeted militant training camps near the border.
Rising tensions
Fears of wider confrontation between 2 neighbors
The situation is tense, with both sides trading heavy fire and evacuations reported near the Torkham crossing. Fears are growing of a wider confrontation between the two neighbors. The violence has intensified along the border, particularly in the Kurram Sector and the Torkham area. Pakistan's government had earlier claimed that its armed forces had killed 72 Afghan Taliban combatants in retaliatory operations after what it described as unprovoked attacks from across the border.