Pakistan sealed its border crossings with Afghanistan amid heavy overnight fire exchanges between the two countries, Pakistani officials said on Sunday.
The Torkham crossing in the north-western province of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chaman in the south-western province of Balochistan are now closed, security officials said.
Pakistani media reports Afghan border posts attacked with jets, tanks
Pakistan's local media said its security forces had captured at least 19 Afghan border posts using heavy artillery, tanks, fighter jets and drones.
Both Pakistani officials and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the opposing side, though the fighting seems to have largely ended for now.
"The firing by Afghan forces on civilian populations is a blatant violation of international laws," Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement issued by his ministry on X.
"By giving a swift and effective response, Pakistan's brave forces have proven that no provocation will be tolerated,” he said.
Naqvi also warned that Afghanistan was "playing a game of fire and blood” and would be "given a befitting reply like India, so that it will not dare to look at Pakistan with a malicious eye,” referring to the brief conflict with India this May. Both Islamabad and New Delhi claimed victory in the clashes.
Afghanistan says it killed nearly 60 Pakistani soldiers
The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said its forces have captured 25 Pakistani army posts in the overnight clash.
He claimed 58 Pakistani soldiers have been killed, and 30 others wounded. Islamabad did not immediately comment on those numbers.
"The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented," Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul.
"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," the ministry added.
Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting?
Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistan posts late Saturday, the Taliban government confirmed, saying it was in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan earlier in the week.
The fighting started after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group of Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for a series of attacks which killed at least 20 Pakistani security officials and three civilians. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring and aiding TTP members.
The attacks, which included a suicide bombing on a police training school, were carried out on Friday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.
Danger of escalation between Pakistan and the Taliban
Pakistani security analyst Imtiaz Gul says the Taliban regime is failing to take "decisive action" against the TTP.
"In the past week alone, there have been at least four significant attacks, seemingly orchestrated by individuals based in Afghanistan," he told DW.
"Pakistan's patience has been wearing thin, which has prompted the government to take direct action against TTP leaders."
Separately, Afghan affairs expert Omar Samad warned that hostility between the two sides "can escalate into widespread violence and military action beyond what we are experiencing" and cause irreparable damage to the ties between Islamabad and Kabul.
“Tensions between the Pakistan military establishment and the de facto Afghan government have been rising for the past two years, partly caused by missteps, misunderstandings, and mismanagement," he told DW.
"There is no time for deception, spin, and bluster," the expert adding, urging "statesmanship, caution, and honest dialogue."
