Pakistan says it killed 67 Afghan security force members in fifth day of fighting

Afghan forces launched multiple border attacks against Pakistan on Tuesday, escalating a five-day conflict that has resulted in dozens of casualties on both sides, according to Pakistani officials.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reported that Afghan ground forces attacked military positions at 16 locations along the southwestern border in Balochistan province’s districts of Qilla Saifullah, Nushki, and Chaman. Afghan forces also fired on 25 locations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

“Pakistan successfully repelled these multiple attacks,” Tarar said in a statement on social media platform X. According to Pakistani officials, 67 Afghan security force members and one Pakistani soldier were killed in the exchanges. The minister claimed 27 Afghan forces were killed in Balochistan, while 40 more died in the northwestern border region.

Afghan authorities have not immediately responded to Pakistan’s latest casualty figures. Both countries have repeatedly claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the other since fighting began last Thursday when Afghanistan launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes conducted earlier.

The conflict has intensified rapidly, with Pakistan declaring an “open war” with Afghanistan – language that has alarmed international observers and regional stakeholders. On Monday, Tarar claimed that 435 Afghan security force members had been killed since the beginning of the hostilities and that Pakistani forces had captured 31 positions along the border.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari defended his country’s military operations, stating that Islamabad had exhausted all diplomatic options before targeting militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory. He called on the Taliban government in Kabul to disarm groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

“We have tried all forms of diplomacy,” Zardari said. “The safety of Pakistani citizens must be our priority.”

The border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan has long been a stronghold for various militant organizations, including al-Qaida and Islamic State. Pakistan has experienced a surge in violence in recent months, which it attributes to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing safe havens for the TTP, which has conducted numerous attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied these allegations, creating a significant diplomatic rift between the neighboring countries.

The current hostilities shattered a fragile ceasefire that had been brokered by Qatar and Turkey in October. Subsequent peace talks held in Istanbul failed to produce a permanent agreement. Pakistani authorities have stated that their military operations will continue until Afghanistan’s Taliban government takes “practical, verifiable steps” to control the TTP and other militant groups operating from its territory.

This escalation marks one of the most serious confrontations between the two countries since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Both nations share a 2,600-kilometer (1,616-mile) border, known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has historically contested.

Regional security experts warn that prolonged conflict could further destabilize a region already struggling with terrorism, economic challenges, and humanitarian crises. The fighting also complicates international efforts to engage with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which has not received widespread diplomatic recognition since taking power.

Humanitarian organizations have expressed concern about civilian populations living near the border areas, who face displacement risks should the conflict continue or expand. The rugged, mountainous terrain along the border makes military operations particularly challenging and increases the potential for civilian casualties.

As tensions remain high, diplomatic efforts by regional powers to de-escalate the situation have yet to show significant results.