Taliban said on Monday that they had seized a Pakistani border post in eastern Afghanistan after a clash with Pakistani troops, as the cross-border clashes continue for the sixth week.
Quoting local Taliban officials in Khost, the Taliban-run national broadcaster, RTA, reported that the confrontation occurred in a border area where Taliban and Pakistani troops exchanged fire. They claimed that the outpost was captured during the fighting and that Pakistani forces suffered casualties, with at least one body left at the scene.
Pakistani officials have not commented on the incident.
The incident comes as cross-border clashes between Taliban and Pakistan enter their sixth week, following an escalation that began on Feb. 26. The fighting has included artillery exchanges, drone strikes and air raids, raising concerns about a broader deterioration in relations between the two sides.
The United Nations has said that more than 76 civilians were killed in the first two weeks of the conflict in eastern Afghanistan. Taliban have since claimed significantly higher casualty figures, though those estimates remain unverified.
The violence has also displaced tens of thousands of families and damaged civilian infrastructure in border regions, adding to an already severe humanitarian crisis.
Diplomacy amid fighting
The latest clash occurred as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions continue in China.
Delegations from Taliban and Pakistan have been holding talks in the city of Urumqi since last week, in negotiations hosted by Beijing and seen as a potential pathway toward de-escalation.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, said on Sunday that his delegation was participating in the talks “with sincerity and a solution-oriented approach,” emphasizing that the group sought to resolve disputes through dialogue.
At the same time, he said they reserved the right to defend Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.
Chinese officials have said there has been some progress in the talks, though no details have been released. Pakistani sources have indicated that the talks could continue for several days and may represent the beginning of a longer process rather than an immediate settlement.
The core dispute between the two sides remains unresolved. Pakistan has accused Taliban of failing to act against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, a militant group responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban deny that the group operates from Afghanistan’s territory. However, a UN monitoring group has reported that TTP has nearly 6,000 fighters in Afghanistan.
