Pakistan Targets Afghan Border Posts Following Cross-Border Firing: Army
Pakistan says heavy weapons were used to destroy Afghan Taliban positions after alleged firing in South Waziristan, while Kabul accuses Islamabad of initiating the attacks.
PESHAWAR, Oct 30: The Pakistan Army has reportedly destroyed several Afghan Taliban border posts, bunkers and military installations in retaliatory attacks following alleged cross border firing in South Waziristan and Parachinar districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to Pakistani state media.
State-run Radio Pakistan reported on Friday that Afghan Taliban forces opened what it described as “unprovoked” fire in the Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan on October 27, prompting Pakistani troops to launch counterattacks against positions across the border.
The report said Pakistani forces deployed heavy weapons to strike multiple border posts, defensive bunkers and military facilities belonging to the Afghan Taliban in areas adjoining South Waziristan and Parachinar.
It further claimed that several Afghan Taliban personnel fled their positions following the strikes, while some were killed in the operation. However, these claims could not be independently verified.
The October 27 confrontation in Angoor Adda reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to property, adding to concerns over the security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry presented a contrasting version of events, accusing Pakistani forces of initiating the hostilities.
In a statement issued on October 28 through its official X account, the ministry alleged that Pakistani military personnel launched four drone attacks targeting the Angoor Adda market and a commission in Afghanistan’s Baktika province around noon on October 27.
Describing the strikes as unjustified, the ministry claimed that the attacks took place without any preceding incident or explanation from the Pakistani side.
It further stated that Afghan forces retaliated by targeting Pakistani military headquarters and nearby positions. According to the ministry, the response resulted in the deaths and injuries of several Pakistani soldiers and inflicted substantial damage on military infrastructure.
The Afghan account, too, could not be independently verified.
The latest confrontation comes against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Islamabad and Kabul, with repeated border clashes and military operations intensifying tensions between the neighbouring countries.
A major source of disagreement has been Pakistan’s continued accusation that the Afghan Taliban administration is providing shelter to militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Islamabad maintains that TTP fighters are operating from Afghan territory and using their bases to organise attacks inside Pakistan. It has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to dismantle militant hideouts and prevent armed groups from launching cross-border operations.
The Afghan Taliban government has consistently rejected these allegations, insisting that it does not permit any group to use Afghan territory to threaten Pakistan or carry out attacks against its interests.
With both governments offering conflicting accounts of recent border incidents, the latest exchange of fire underscores the persistent security challenges facing the two countries and the growing strain on their bilateral relations.
