Pakistan says hundreds of Afghan Taliban fighters killed
Pakistan Reports Hundreds of Afghan Taliban Fighters Killed in Airstrikes
Pakistan officials stated that over 300 Afghan Taliban combatants were eliminated in recent aerial strikes and border confrontations. The nation’s military has continued to engage in cross-border operations, producing divergent accounts of the conflict’s toll and undermining each other’s claims. On Saturday, Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, disclosed that more than 331 Taliban members had been killed and over 500 injured during ongoing air assaults and clashes. He noted that targets included infrastructure and arm depots across 37 sites in Afghanistan.
Weapons and Infrastructure Destroyed
Tarar also mentioned that Pakistani forces had dismantled over a hundred Taliban outposts, seized 22, and obliterated 163 tanks and armored vehicles. State-backed media reported that the Pakistani Air Force conducted strikes against critical military sites in eastern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, hundreds of civilians near the Torkham border crossing have relocated to safer zones. Pakistan has also assisted dozens of Afghan refugees at the Torkham crossing in returning home.
“Brave forces of the Islamic Emirate destroyed the Pakistani military regime’s commissariat, military units, and three key security towers,” said Mullah Taj Mohammad Naqshbandi, an Afghan representative at the border. Afghan officials claimed their troops had downed a Pakistani jet over Jalalabad and captured the pilot. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry dismissed these assertions as entirely false.
Disputes Over Civilian Casualties
The Department of Information and Culture in eastern Afghanistan accused Pakistan of hitting civilian areas, razing homes, and killing at least 11 people. Pakistani authorities insisted their operations focused solely on military targets to prevent civilian harm.
Border Clashes Triggered by Earlier Attacks
Clashes erupted along the 2,500-kilometer frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday evening, with Afghanistan asserting the violence was a retaliation for Pakistan’s prior strikes on Islamist militants. Islamabad blames these militants for lethal cross-border attacks originating from Afghan sanctuaries. In response, Pakistan launched deep incursions into Afghanistan, striking military installations such as those in Kabul. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif described the situation as an “open war” with the Taliban, accusing them of sheltering various terrorist groups.
Regional Efforts for Peace
Regional partners have urged an immediate halt to hostilities, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iran offering to act as intermediaries. Despite these calls, no breakthrough has been achieved so far.
