Pakistani Forces Kill Afghan Taliban Fighters in Border Clashes
· World · Al Jazeera, The Hindu
Pakistan said its security forces foiled an attempted Afghan aggression in the Gulistan area along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Friday. Pakistani security sources confirmed that several Afghan Taliban fighters were killed during an intermittent exchange of fire, with fighting remaining ongoing. The border escalation follows Pakistani airstrikes on Thursday that hit 10 locations across Afghan provinces including Kandahar, Paktia and Khost. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the airstrikes while denying that the Taliban government launched drones against Pakistan on Wednesday, which Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar cited as the justification for the raids. The ongoing cross-border conflict threatens current mediation efforts by China, Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to establish lasting peace between the two neighbours.
Why it matters
The escalating border conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan threatens regional stability and undermines diplomatic mediation efforts by China, Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Further military escalation risks worsening security across the South Asian region.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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