Pakistan’s military claimed Sunday that at least 200 Taliban and affiliated fighters were killed in overnight border clashes, in what it described as a large-scale response to an unprovoked attack by Taliban forces along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
In its first official statement on the incident, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the fighting occurred overnight between October 11 and 12 and involved exchanges of fire and cross-border raids. The military claimed it destroyed Taliban posts, camps and support infrastructure across multiple locations along the Durand Line, the disputed frontier between the two countries.
Twenty-three Pakistani soldiers were killed and 29 others wounded, according to the statement. The military also claimed to have temporarily captured 21 Taliban positions and destroyed several sites it described as militant training facilities.
While Pakistan attributed the assault to the Taliban and what it called “affiliated terrorist groups,” the Taliban have rejected claims that they host foreign militants and maintain that recent operations were in retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory. The Taliban have not confirmed the casualty figures reported by Pakistan but have acknowledged some losses in the border region.
Tensions between Islamabad and Taliban have escalated sharply in recent days. On Thursday night, Pakistani jets reportedly bombed areas in Kabul and Paktia provinces, in what local media said was an attempt to target Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. The Taliban responded by launching what they described as a “retaliatory operation” along the Durand Line.
Cross-border violence has surged since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. UN has reported 14 border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces this year.
Pakistan has accused the Taliban of harboring TTP fighters, while the Taliban deny allowing their territory to be used for attacks on neighboring countries.
The Pakistani military said it took “all possible measures” to avoid civilian casualties during the operation. Independent verification of battlefield claims on both sides remains difficult due to limited access and ongoing security concerns in the border areas.
The incident coincided with a visit to India by the Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi—a development Pakistan has not officially commented on, though it has in the past expressed concerns about growing ties between Taliban and New Delhi.
Both sides have placed their border forces on high alert. Diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions have involved mediation by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, according to Taliban spokeseman.
