The Taliban’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed and another 11 wounded in border clashes in eastern Afghanistan, as fighting between the two sides entered its 17th day.
In a statement, the ministry said the clashes occurred in border areas of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. It claimed Taliban forces also seized a Pakistani border post and destroyed an armored vehicle and a military truck.
Pakistani authorities have not immediately commented on the claim.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a recent update that 663 Taliban members have been killed and 887 wounded since the start of Pakistani military operations.
Tarar said Pakistani forces have also captured 44 Taliban border posts and destroyed 224 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery pieces during the clashes and airstrikes.
The fighting began on Feb. 26, with both sides accusing each other of initiating hostilities along the border.
Pakistani military aircraft also carried out airstrikes late Friday on parts of Kabul, Paktia, Paktika and Kandahar, according to Taliban officials.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said earlier that Pakistani airstrikes Friday night in eastern Kabul killed four civilians and wounded 14 others.
Since Feb. 26, UNAMA says at least 75 civilians have been killed and 193 injured in Afghanistan as a result of cross-border airstrikes and clashes between Pakistani forces and the Taliban.
