Afghanistan Pakistan border clashes as Afghan forces say posts were captured

Afghanistan’s military says it captured multiple Pakistani army posts along the Durand Line after Pakistani airstrikes hit eastern Afghanistan. Officials, including spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid and Nangarhar province authorities, reported escalating clashes and disputed figures on seized positions. Pakistan’s military did not immediately comment, and casualty details were not confirmed.

Afghanistan’s military said on Thursday it seized several Pakistani army posts after launching strikes along the border. The action followed Pakistani air attacks on Afghan border areas earlier in the week. The latest claims pointed to a fresh rise in violence between the neighbouring countries. Pakistan’s military did not immediately respond, and casualties were not confirmed.

Afghanistan’s eastern military corps said intense fighting started on Thursday night. The corps said the clashes were a direct response to Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan. Officials on both sides gave conflicting accounts on what triggered the shooting. Neither side provided verified figures on deaths or injuries during the reported exchanges.

Afghanistan Pakistan border clashes along the Durand Line

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X on Thursday night: "In response to the repeated rebellions and insurrections of the Pakistani military, large-scale offensive operations were launched against Pakistani military bases and military installations along the Durand Line.\" The 2,611-kilometre border is called the Durand Line. Afghanistan has not officially accepted it.

Mujahid said Afghan forces captured at least five Pakistani army posts. Soon after, the information directorate in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province reported a higher number. It said Afghan forces had taken 17 Pakistani military posts in total. The Afghan statements did not give precise locations for each post or explain how long control was expected to last.

Afghanistan Pakistan border clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts

Pakistani local authorities and two senior security officials said Pakistani forces responded to fire from the Afghan side. They described the shooting as unprovoked and said return fire targeted Afghan positions. According to Pakistani local administration officials, the exchange began in Khyber district. Officials said it later spread to at least four other districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Ties between the two neighbours have been strained for months, and earlier violence killed many people. Deadly border clashes in October killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. The fighting followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad later carried out strikes deeper inside Afghanistan, saying the targets were militant hideouts.

Afghanistan Pakistan border clashes after strikes and failed talks

A ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, has mostly held despite periodic exchanges of fire. Several rounds of peace talks in November did not lead to a formal deal. On Sunday, Pakistan’s military said it launched strikes along the Afghan border and killed at least 70 militants. Afghanistan rejected that account and said the strikes caused civilian deaths.

Afghanistan said dozens of civilians died, including women and children. The Defence Ministry said the attacks hit several civilian areas in eastern Afghanistan. It listed a religious madrassa and multiple homes among the reported sites. The ministry said the strikes breached Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty. Pakistan has not issued a public response in this report.

With inputs from PTI