Escalation at the Border: Afghan Forces Retaliate in Deadly Clash

Tensions mount as Afghanistan's Defence Ministry announced retaliatory strikes against Pakistan after its operation in Paktika province. The strikes, spurred by last week's deadly Pakistani airstrikes, targeted areas believed to harbor attackers. The Taliban denies facilitating cross-border militant activities, highlighting strained diplomatic ties.

Escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have resulted in Afghanistan's Defence Ministry retaliating against Pakistan following a deadly operation in Paktika province. Last week, Pakistan initiated a large-scale airstrike targeting a training facility believed to harbor insurgents, resulting in numerous casualties, predominantly among women and children.

On Saturday, the Taliban Defence Ministry issued a statement on X, claiming responsibility for targeting specific Pakistani locations linked to malicious groups and their backers. These strikes were described as in reprisal for last week's events, yet the ministry refrained from detailing any casualty figures.

Despite accusations from Pakistani officials that Afghanistan is not curbing militant cross-border activities, the Taliban administration firmly rejects these assertions, asserting no attacks are launched from Afghan soil. Attempts to reach the Pakistani Foreign Ministry for comments on the retaliatory actions remained unanswered.

(With inputs from agencies.)