Once again, tension has surged along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Just days after Saturday's fire exchange between the two countries, a new conflict has surfaced on Wednesday morning. As per Afghan officials, Pakistan has carried out an airstrike in the Spin Boldak region of Kandahar province. According to a Taliban statement, four Pakistani Soldiers were killed along with four others wounded during the firefight. They have claimed to overrun several Pakistani outposts, tanks and combat equipment.
Zabihullah MujahidIn, Taliban spokesperson, said in a statement that 12 Afghan civilians had been killed and more than 100 others injured in the Pakistani attacks. He also added that when Pakistan attacked Afghan forces had no choice but to respond. Some Pakistani troops were killed in the counterattack, and their posts, weapons, and tanks were seized. Most of their bases have been destroyed.
A video posted by Mujahid showed Taliban militants driving what seems to be a seized Pakistani tank in the streets. Early indications are that Pakistan attacked at least three Afghan frontier posts along the border crossing at Chaman, employing drones and fighter aircraft. Ten civilians were reportedly injured and admitted to the hospital in Chaman.
The recent conflict flare-up follows a series of clashes that began on Saturday night along the disputed Pakistan–Afghanistan border Durand Line. That night, Afghan forces reportedly launched a retaliatory strike in response to an earlier Pakistani attack in Kabul. On Sunday, Mujahid claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others injured in that exchange.
In the meantime, several explosions shook Kabul on the evening of last Thursday. The Taliban administration blamed Pakistani fighter planes for crossing Afghan airspace and conducting bombardments within Afghan territory. They also blamed Pakistan for the explosion that took place earlier in the Paktika province.
The Afghan government blamed Islamabad for repeatedly flouting Afghanistan's sovereignty. Since these claims, there have been reports of increased border tensions over the weekend. And on Wednesday, Pakistan allegedly initiated another set of strikes within Afghan territory — escalating the crisis between the two countries.
