Islamabad/Hyderabad, Sept. 25: Pakistani security forces claimed they killed several Afghan Taliban fighters during a border clash in Balochistan on Thursday.
State-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported that Afghan Taliban fighters allegedly attempted to enter Pakistani territory in the Gulistan sector.
Pakistan said its forces responded to what officials described as an act of aggression. Intermittent firing reportedly continued after midnight.
The reported clash came a day after Pakistan carried out air and drone strikes at 10 locations in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government said the strikes killed four civilians. Reuters and AP also reported the civilian deaths, citing Afghan officials.
Pakistan Afghanistan Border Clash Follows Airstrikes
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the September 24 strikes targeted locations used to launch and store drones.
Pakistan said eight drones had entered its airspace near Torkham and Kohat on September 23. Security sources said Pakistani air defence systems shot down all eight drones.
Tarar said Pakistan carried out the strikes in what he described as an exercise of its right to self defence.
Afghanistan denied involvement in the drone attacks and condemned the Pakistani strikes.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said four Afghan civilians were killed. He warned that Kabul would respond to the strikes.
The latest border clash adds to tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross border militant activity.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of allowing Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan militants to operate from Afghan territory.
The Afghan Taliban has rejected those allegations and denied allowing its territory to be used for attacks against neighbouring countries.
Pakistan also carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan on September 21. Islamabad said those strikes killed 28 militants linked to militant groups.
Afghan authorities disputed the account and reported civilian deaths and injuries. Reuters reported that Afghan officials and the UN confirmed three civilian deaths from those strikes.
Meanwhile, the latest claims about the number of Afghan Taliban fighters killed in the Gulistan clash have not been independently verified.
There was no immediate detailed statement from the Afghan Taliban specifically addressing the reported Gulistan fighting.
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