58 Pak soldiers killed in strikes, says Taliban; Islamabad claims counteroffensive

Taliban spokesperson Zabeehullah Mujahid on Sunday (October 12) claimed that at least 58 Pakistani soldiers have been killed while 30 others have been injured in retaliatory strikes launched by Kabul. Islamabad, on the other hand, claims it has launched a counteroffensive, destroying multiple Afghan posts and killing dozens of Afghan soldiers and Khawarij soldiers.

Expel ISIS terrorists: Mujahid warns Pak

In a video address shared on his X handle, Mujahid also urged Pakistan to expel ISIS terrorists hiding in its territory.

"Pakistan should expel the important ISIS members who are hiding there from its soil or hand them over to the Islamic Emirate. The ISIS group poses a threat to many countries in the world, including Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate cleared its territory of those causing unrest, but then new centers were established for them in Pashtunkhwa. Recruits were brought to these centres for training via Karachi and Islamabad airports," Mujahid said.

Islamabad is yet to confirm the fatalities quoted by Kabul.

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Kabul’s retaliatory strikes

Earlier on Sunday, Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry confirmed that its forces conducted “retaliatory and successful operations” in response to Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil including in Kabul on Saturday (October 11) night.

Quoting Maulvi Mohammad Qasim Riaz, the spokesperson for Helmand province, Hurriyat Radio said that Afghan forces had killed 15 Pakistani soldiers in the province. The news outlet also claimed that Afghan forces had captured three Pakistani security posts during an operation, targeting “military and militia outposts and facilities” near the Durand Line in the Bahramcha district.

Stern warning to Pak

Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry also claimed that retaliatory actions were executed in the regions, including Kandahar, Helmand, Paktika, Khost, Paktia, Zabul, Nangahar and Kunar.

“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation's borders and will deliver a strong response,” AP quoted the ministry as saying.

Riaz said that Afghan forces also seized several weapons and ammunition during the operations.

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‘Unprovoked attacks,’ says Pak

Pakistan, meanwhile, has claimed that it has responded to “unprovoked” attacks by Afghan forces in border areas, destroying several Afghan border posts, training camps, and terrorist hideouts, according to security sources quoted by AP.

It said Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts at Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

The strikes from both sides is said to have started when Taliban forces allegedly opened fire on several Pakistani border posts late on Saturday.

According to The Express Tribune, Pakistani security forces have said that the firing was aimed at facilitating the illegal entry of Khawarij or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) into Pakistani territory.

Pak claims fatalities in counteroffensive

Pakistan claims its counteroffensive targeted and destroyed multiple Afghan posts at the border and that dozens of Afghan soldiers and Khawarij were also killed in retaliatory firing.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the Taliban attacks on border posts "unprovoked", alleging that they targeted civilians. “Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan’s brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated,” he said.

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He said Pakistan’s forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with "stones for bricks".

What triggered the clashes?

The situation reportedly deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by TTP in Pakistan, allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Orakzai district last week, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

On Thursday (October 9) night, explosions were reported in the Abdul Haq Square area of Kabul, which is close to several ministries and the national intelligence agency. Kabul blamed Islamabad for the attacks, but the Pakistani army refused to confirm or deny its involvement.

Apparently prompted by the Kabul strikes, the Afghan security forces targeted attacks against Pakistan on Saturday night.

Pakistan launched its retaliatory response early on Sunday, hitting several border areas and destroying border posts, the state media reported.

There was no official statement or comments from the Pakistan Army on the development.

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Khawarij, Daesh hideouts targeted: Pak

However, security sources confirmed that Pakistani forces deployed at the international border “targeted several Afghan border posts”, adding that there were reports of significant damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations.

They said “several Afghan soldiers were killed” and militant formations were forced to retreat due to the “effective and intense retaliation by Pakistani forces”.

Artillery, tanks, light and heavy weapons were used in the retaliatory action, along with air resources and drones, sources told AP.

They added that Afghan posts failed to provide covering fire to the militants, and there are reports of “heavy losses” among Afghan border posts and militants.

“Khawarij and Daesh hideouts inside Afghanistan, operating under the patronage of the interim Afghan government, are being effectively targeted...The headquarters of Afghan forces, which have been sheltering Daesh and Fitna al-Khawarij, are also being targeted,” they said.

The Pakistan government last year notified the banned TTP as “Fitna al-Khawarij”, a reference to a group in earlier Islamic history that was involved in violence.

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Pak state-TV shares videos

In a series of posts on social media, state-run PTV News shared videos of firing on the Afghan posts, some of which were in flames, and in one video, Afghan soldiers surrendering to Pakistani forces in Kurram.

The state broadcaster issued the following statement quoting security sources: “Unprovoked firing from the Afghan side at Pak-Afghan border, a strong, intense response from Pakistan Army." It said Pakistan was currently “targeting terrorist camps and hideouts of Khawarij, ISIS located near the Pak-Afghan border inside Afghanistan with great precision. Afghan forces have retreated from several areas”.

State-run Radio Pakistan also shared footage of what it said were “khawarij and Afghan soldiers being taken out”.