Border Blaze: 58 Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Fierce Clashes with Taliban

The shared border between Afghanistan and Pakistan witnessed a bloody night after a surge in fighting between Afghan Taliban forces and the Pakistani army. According to Taliban statements, 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded, while the movement claimed to have seized 25 Pakistani military sites in retaliation for what it called “repeated violations” of Afghan sovereignty.

These developments followed the Taliban’s announcement to end a military campaign launched on Saturday, in response to airstrikes attributed to Pakistan, which Kabul accused of violating its territory. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he described as Afghan “provocations,” vowing a strong response, as several border crossings were shut in a further escalation of tensions.

Meanwhile, the Taliban government announced a Saudi-Qatari diplomatic intervention to ease the crisis, with Afghan officials expressing a desire to maintain positive relations with Islamabad, while asserting that no Pakistani Taliban elements reside in Afghanistan.

These clashes are the latest in a long-standing border tension since the Taliban takeover in Kabul in August 2021, exacerbated by recent mutual accusations of airstrikes and territorial violations. As the Taliban repeatedly warns against further incursions, the border remains fragile and all scenarios are possible, amid regional and global concern over further escalation.