Afghanistan Captures Pakistani Posts As Cross-Border Fighting Escalates Into Fifth Day

Afghanistan's conflict with Pakistan intensified sharply on Tuesday as Kabul confirmed it had carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military positions, pushing the cross-border fighting into its fifth consecutive day.

The escalation follows recent air operations by the Pakistan Air Force inside Afghan territory, triggering one of the most serious flare-ups along the Durand Line in recent years.

Fresh Strikes Along The Durand Line

Afghanistan's defence ministry said its forces struck multiple Pakistani military sites across the 2,600 kilometre Durand Line, including areas near Kabul, the Ali-Sher district in Khost, Jalalabad and Kandahar. Officials described the operations as a direct response to Pakistan's earlier air strikes on what Islamabad claimed were terror camps inside Afghanistan on February 21 and 22.

According to Afghan authorities, troops advanced into contested areas and seized several Pakistani military posts in Kandahar province. Three posts were taken in Spin Boldak, where three Pakistani soldiers were killed and one was captured. Two additional posts were reportedly overrun in the Ali-Sher district, as reported by TOLOnews.

While exchanges of fire have continued for four days, officials on both sides indicate that the heaviest bombardments occurred during the initial phase of the escalation. The latest developments, however, suggest neither side is ready to de-escalate.

Competing Claims And Battlefield Losses

The confrontation traces back to last month, when Taliban-led Afghan forces launched counterstrikes after Pakistan targeted suspected militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.

On Monday, Afghanistan's defence ministry said it had destroyed a Pakistani armoured tank in Paktika province after accusing it of firing indiscriminately into Afghan territory. Defence ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi stated that Afghan forces have killed over 100 Pakistani personnel and captured more than 25 military posts so far, according to Reuters.

Afghan police also reported that Pakistani fighter jets attempted to bomb Bagram air base near Kabul but were pushed back by Afghan air defence systems. No casualties or infrastructure damage were reported. Bagram once served as the largest American military base during the two-decade conflict in Afghanistan.

Pakistani security officials, meanwhile, confirmed continued air and ground operations, claiming they targeted ammunition depots in Khost and Jalalabad as well as a drone storage facility in Jalalabad.

Islamabad has presented a sharply different account of battlefield outcomes. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistani forces had killed 435 Afghan troops, destroyed 188 military posts and captured 31. He further claimed that 188 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns were destroyed, with 51 locations struck from the air.

Mediation Efforts Stall Amid Wider Regional Tensions

Attempts at diplomatic intervention have so far yielded little progress. Countries including Qatar have offered to mediate, but negotiations have stalled. Afghan Taliban officials have indicated a willingness to talk, yet regional instability has complicated matters.

The broader geopolitical climate has also weighed on efforts to calm tensions. The recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Tehran's retaliatory attacks on American and Israeli bases in the Middle East, have diverted attention and diplomatic bandwidth away from South Asia.

The Core Dispute: TTP And Cross-Border Militancy

At the heart of the crisis lies a long-standing accusation from Pakistan that Afghanistan shelters Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants who stage attacks inside Pakistani territory. Kabul has repeatedly denied the charge, insisting it does not allow its soil to be used against any other country.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated that Pakistan's primary demand remains unchanged: Afghan territory must not be used for hostile activities against Pakistan. He emphasised that resolving this issue is essential for restoring normal diplomatic relations.

With both sides trading heavy claims of losses and continuing cross-border operations, the situation along the Durand Line remains volatile, raising fears of a deeper and more prolonged confrontation.