Taliban Launches Surprise Attack Against Pakistan (Videos)

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The Taliban on February 26 announced that it had launched attacks against Pakistani military positions along their border in response to Pakistani airstrikes that hit Afghanistan earlier in the week.

In a statement, the media office of Afghanistan’s military corps in the east said that “heavy clashes” began late in the day “in response to the recent airstrikes carried out by Pakistani forces in Nangarhar and Paktia” provinces.

The Pakistani military said that the airstrikes, which took place on February 22, claimed the lives of at least 70 fighters, but Afghanistan said that civilians were killed, including women and children. Border clashes broke out at the time, and the Taliban vowed to respond.

“In response ‌to repeated provocations and violations by Pakistani military circles, large-scale offensive operations have been launched ⁠against Pakistani military ⁠positions and installations along the Durand Line,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah ⁠Mujahid wrote in a post on X.

The spokesman later said in a separate X post that Afghan forces had killed “numerous soldiers” and “some have also been captured alive”, adding that 15 outposts were “captured from the enemy”.

From its side, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the military had delivered ⁠an “immediate and ⁠effective response” to Afghan attack across ⁠several sectors ⁠in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“Taliban regime forces are being delivered punishment in Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors. Early reports confirm heavy casualties on Afghan side with multiple posts and equipment destroyed,” the ministry said on X.

Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the military in eastern Afghanistan, said, however, there had so far been “no casualties” on the Afghan side.

Despite sharing historic ties, Pakistan and the Taliban have fallen out since the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2020. Last year saw several rounds of deadly clashes along the 2,611km-long border, known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has not formally recognised.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of backing the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or the Pakistani Taliban. Attacks by the group in Pakistan are indeed increasing, and becoming more deadly.

Another factor that contributed to recent escalation was a rapprochement between Afghanistan and India, a long time rival of Pakistan.

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