Sun Oct 12 05:04:40 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Following Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul and Paktika provinces, the Taliban retaliated by targeting Pakistani military posts along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The Afghan forces claim to have killed fifteen Pakistani soldiers, captured three outposts, and seized weapons. The clashes are rooted in Pakistan’s accusations that the Taliban are harboring and supporting the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group responsible for attacks against Pakistani security forces. Pakistan warns it will no longer tolerate this situation, while the Taliban defends its territory and denies supporting the TTP.
**News Article:**
**Taliban Retaliation Claims 15 Pakistani Soldiers Dead After Airstrikes Escalate Border Tensions**
**KABUL, AFGHANISTAN** – Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated sharply following tit-for-tat airstrikes and retaliatory attacks along their shared border. Afghan forces, under Taliban control, claim to have killed fifteen Pakistani soldiers in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul and Paktika provinces.
Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Riaz, a spokesperson for the Helmand provincial government, stated that the retaliatory operations took place near the Durand Line in Bahrampur district. Afghan forces also claim to have captured three Pakistani military outposts and seized weapons and ammunition.
The situation arose after Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, citing the need to address the presence of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, who Islamabad accuses of launching attacks against its security forces from Afghan soil. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that his country would “no longer tolerate” the alleged support for the TTP within Afghanistan.
The Taliban has vehemently denied these accusations, maintaining that it does not harbor or support the TTP. Following the Pakistani airstrikes, the Afghan defense ministry spokesman Enayat Khowarazm, warned that Afghanistan will respond firmly to any further violations of its territory.
The exchange of fire has raised concerns about a potential escalation of conflict between the two countries. While Islamabad has not confirmed its role in Thursday’s attacks, the situation highlights the deteriorating security situation in the region and the complex relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan.