The violent clash and intense firing unleashed between Pakistan and Afghanistan across the Durand Line, has reached new fierce heights. Afghanistan is claiming to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and seizing crucial Army posts of the opponent country. The conflict between Islamabad and Kabul escalated as an impact of the Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan, which was apparently intended towards Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan(TTP) terror outfit said to be acting from the Afghan soil against Islamabad.
Kabul immediately initiated the retaliatory strikes asserting the Islamabad violated the sovereign airspace and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. On October 12, Afghanistan claimed that it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in the overnight border operations. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Chief Spokesperson of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan said that they have captured 25 Pakistani Army posts leading to the death of 58 soldiers and 30 other severely injured. Pakistan has not released any official statements regarding the causalities. The Afghan Defence Ministry also accused Pakistan for its relentless, aggressive and illegal action and also warned that any further escalation or violation of the Afghan sovereignty by Pakistan will be addressed with a “strong response”.
On the other hand, Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi has warned saying, “Pakistan should distance from testing the patience of Afghan people and they shouldn’t be taking this path when the issues can be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy”. In the wake of intense firing from both the sides, the Torkham border crossing, a major trade route bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan was shut down. The two nations share a long border of 2,611 kms, officially called as the Durand Line. However, Afghanistan never has recognized the aforementioned line as the official border. These historical border tensions, however, is spiking lately due to the recent geopolitical developments in South Asia and Kabul’s attempt to diversify its foreign policy priorities.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan has also made a sharp criticism of Pakistan for rendering safe-haven to and nurturing the ISIS. Spokesperson of the Taliban government Zabihullah Mujahid also said that Pakistan should expel the ISIS who are apparently a threat to many countries across the globe including Afghanistan. Rasheed Helmandi, Head of the Afghanistan’s Culture and Information Department in the Helmand province, said, Pakistani forces launched a mortar strike on Haji Halim village in Baramcha district leading to many injuries and one civilian death. As per other sources, Pakistan has also launched drone attacks in the Kandahar region in Boldak district.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also affirmed that TTP terror group are not present in the Afghan soil, instead Kabul has given shelter to refugees who were displaced during Pakistan’s military operation in the tribal areas.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan for the attack and escalation
Elsewhere Islamabad rants its victorious stories claiming that it has captured 19 Afghan military posts and other terror hubs. It accuses Kabul for attacking Pakistan without any provocation. Pakistan also asserted that it had killed nearly 200 Taliban affiliated militants. However, no evidence has been produced for these claims of Pakistan. Islamabad also accused Kabul for attacking its civilian population. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called out Afghanistan’s attack as “provocative”. He also asserted that Taliban government is allowing the terrorist elements to operate from the Afghan territory.
This latest violent escalation between the two South Asian countries has made the region and India’s periphery much more fragile which is hitherto destabilized due to various domestic and geopolitical volatilities.
