Islamabad (TDI): Fresh clashes broke out along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border after a brief lull, as the Pakistan Army carried out retaliatory strikes against Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the Kurram sector.
Fighters from the Afghan Taliban regime, assisted by TTP militants, referred to by Islamabad as Fitna al-Khawarij, opened heavy and indiscriminate fire on Pakistani positions. The attack prompted a “strong and precise” military response, The Express Tribune reported citing sources.
Multiple Taliban posts across the border were destroyed in the strikes, with several fires reported. A Taliban tank was also hit and destroyed, forcing militants to abandon their positions and flee, leaving behind the bodies of several fighters.
In a separate engagement, Pakistani forces targeted and eliminated another moving tank in what officials called a “highly professional and skillful strike,” the report added.
Read More: Pakistan Hopes for ‘True Representative Government’ in Afghanistan
The Pakistan Army also struck a militant training camp in Naeem, used to prepare fighters for operations in the Kurram region. The facility, reportedly operated by Fitna al-Khawarij, was completely destroyed.
During an intense hour-long exchange at Shamshad Post, the Army neutralized a fourth tank, while additional positions were hit in Khost province’s Nargasar Post and Turkmanzai Top, where two more tanks were destroyed along with their crews.
Night-vision footage reviewed by security agencies showed flames and heavy smoke rising from the destroyed vehicles.
Officials said Taliban fighters abandoned multiple posts amid the intense counteroffensive, with some reportedly raising white flags to signal surrender. After displaying the flag, militants vacated their positions and retreated.
Read More: Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Stable Afghanistan at Moscow Meet
During the ongoing operation, Pakistani forces also killed a key commander of Fitna al-Khawarij, with several militants confirmed dead or wounded. Security officials described the situation on the Afghan side as one of “panic and disorder,” with many fighters fleeing in haste.
Military operations along the frontier continue at full intensity, focusing on eliminating hostile elements and reinforcing border security, the officials added.
The renewed fighting follows an earlier confrontation on the night of October 11–12, when Afghan Taliban units, supported by Indian-sponsored elements of Fitna al-Khawarij, launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistani border posts.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan’s military responded forcefully, killing over 200 Taliban fighters while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred in the clashes.
The ISPR statement noted that Pakistan’s retaliatory action inflicted severe infrastructural damage to Taliban command posts, training camps, and logistics networks “ranging from tactical to operational depth along the border.”
