Islamabad, Oct 12 (V7N) – Heavy clashes broke out between Pakistani and Afghan border forces late Saturday night, escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. Afghan border guards reportedly launched an assault on Pakistani troops using heavy weaponry near the frontier, prompting Pakistani forces to retaliate with equal force.

According to The Hindu, the violence follows an airstrike carried out by Pakistan’s Air Force on Friday night in Kabul, targeting top leaders of the banned militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The attack, aimed at neutralizing TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, has sharply heightened hostility between Islamabad and Kabul.

The Afghan military confirmed the clashes, saying the attacks were in direct response to Pakistan’s airstrikes. In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense declared, “In retaliation for Pakistan’s aerial assault, Taliban border forces have engaged in intense fighting with Pakistani troops across several eastern border regions.”

Viral videos circulating on social media show long convoys of Afghan military vehicles moving toward the Pakistan border, further indicating large-scale mobilization.

Earlier, Afghanistan’s interim government accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty. On October 10, Afghanistan’s Defense Minister claimed that Pakistani aircraft had breached Kabul’s airspace and bombed a market in the Paktika province’s Margha region. The ministry described the incident as “an unprecedented, violent, and condemnable act in the history of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations.”

Reports suggest that loud explosions and heavy gunfire were heard across Kabul on Thursday night, coinciding with what sources identified as Pakistan’s targeted airstrike on TTP’s top leadership. However, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied the claims, stating that the TTP leader was not present in Kabul at the time of the attack.

The latest developments mark one of the most serious escalations between the two countries in recent years, fueling fears of a prolonged border conflict that could destabilize the wider region.

END/WD/SMA/