Cross-border tensions have escalated after alleged Pakistani drone strikes targeted security installations in eastern Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Afghan security forces launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions following a series of drone attacks in Afghanistan’s eastern border region, Kabul’s Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.
According to an official statement from the Afghan defence ministry, Pakistani forces carried out four separate drone strikes on Tuesday, targeting a border commissariat and nearby security installations in Paktika province. The attacks caused damage to local facilities, prompting Afghan security units stationed nearby to launch a military response, Xinhua News Agency reported.
In retaliation, Afghan defence and security personnel deployed along the frontier carried out artillery and heavy weapons strikes against a major Pakistani military base in the vicinity, as well as several surrounding border outposts.
The Afghan Ministry of Defence claimed that the retaliatory operations inflicted substantial casualties on Pakistani military personnel and caused significant damage to Pakistan’s border defence infrastructure. Kabul also said no Afghan defence personnel were killed or injured during the exchange.
The latest confrontation marks a further escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which share a long and porous border.
Relations between the two neighbours have remained strained since armed clashes erupted in February. The ensuing tensions have led to repeated standoffs, sporadic skirmishes and increased military deployments on both sides of the Durand Line.
The Afghan defence ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting the country’s territorial integrity against cross-border attacks.
Pakistani authorities had not issued an official response to Kabul’s claims regarding the retaliatory strikes, casualties or damage at the time of the report.
The latest exchange underscores the persistent security challenges along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where accusations of cross-border attacks have continued to fuel tensions between the two countries.
