The government of Pakistan says its security forces have killed hundreds of fighters linked to the Afghan Taliban and injured many more during the ongoing military confrontation along the border with Afghanistan.
According to Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, at least 641 Afghan Taliban members have been killed and more than 855 others wounded since the latest round of fighting began late last month.
The minister said Pakistani forces have also destroyed 243 check posts belonging to Afghan border forces during the clashes, which he described as part of an ongoing military response to cross-border attacks.
The confrontation between the two neighboring countries intensified on February 26 when Afghan border forces reportedly launched attacks on Pakistani military positions. Authorities in Kabul said those actions were carried out in retaliation for earlier airstrikes conducted by Pakistan inside Afghan territory earlier in the month.
Since then, both sides have been engaged in some of the most intense hostilities seen between the neighbors in decades.
Posting an update on the social media platform X, Tarar shared what he described as a summary of Afghan Taliban losses, stating that hundreds of fighters had been killed while several hundred more were injured in the conflict.
Pakistan also claimed that its forces destroyed large quantities of military hardware during the operation. According to the minister, about 219 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery systems used by Afghan forces have been damaged or destroyed.
He further said Pakistani aircraft targeted dozens of sites inside Afghanistan that authorities believe were being used by militants. In total, 65 locations described as “terrorist and terror-support facilities” were struck in air operations.
The military campaign is being conducted under an operation known as Operation Ghazab lil Haq, which Islamabad says aims to eliminate militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan territory.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul following the collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban administration of allowing militant organizations to operate from Afghan soil and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistani officials say a rise in cross-border violence and militant activity in recent months has forced the country to take stronger military action.
Authorities in Kabul have rejected those accusations, insisting that Afghan territory is not being used to launch attacks against neighboring states.
Despite the escalating tensions, Afghan officials have at times expressed willingness to resolve disputes through dialogue. However, Pakistani authorities have indicated that negotiations will remain difficult unless Kabul takes concrete steps against militant networks they believe are responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.
The conflict between the two countries is unfolding at a time of heightened regional instability, with wider tensions also affecting the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Security analysts warn that prolonged fighting along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border could further complicate regional stability, especially as multiple geopolitical crises continue to unfold simultaneously.
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