Afghanistan announced that its troops killed 58 Pakistani soldiers during overnight border clashes on Sunday.
Officials accused Pakistan of repeated airspace and territorial violations that triggered the retaliatory assault.
Earlier in the week, Afghan authorities claimed Pakistan bombed Kabul and an eastern market, though Pakistan denied involvement.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces seized 25 Pakistani posts and wounded 30 soldiers.
He declared all Afghan borders “under full control,” adding that authorities had curbed illegal cross-border activities.
Kabul Warns of Further Retaliation
Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry said its army conducted “successful counteroperations” to defend national sovereignty.
Officials warned Pakistan against future violations, pledging a “powerful response” if attacks continued.
Pakistan has frequently targeted Afghan border areas, claiming to strike militant bases in remote mountain zones.
The two countries have traded fire before, but Sunday’s clashes mark one of their deadliest encounters in years.
Regional Strains Escalate
Pakistan accused Afghanistan of sheltering Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters who launch deadly strikes inside Pakistan.
Kabul denied the allegation, insisting it does not permit any nation to use Afghan territory for violence.
Pakistan, battling rising militancy in border regions, also blames India for supporting armed groups without presenting proof.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s forces “gave a strong reply” and destroyed several Afghan outposts.
Security officials released videos of alleged Afghan positions reduced to rubble, though independent verification was impossible.
Pakistan’s army claimed to have neutralised over 200 “Taliban and allied militants,” with many more wounded.
Officials said Afghan troops initiated gunfire across multiple points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, intensifying the border crisis.
