274 Taliban Dead, 55 Pakistan Troops Killed

Pakistan and Afghanistan carried out heavy air and ground attacks against each other on Friday, each side reporting sharply different casualty figures as tensions along their border escalated further. Pakistani officials described the situation as an “open war”.

Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said air strikes hit 22 Afghan military targets, killing 274 Taliban officials and fighters. He added that 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clashes. The strikes reportedly targeted locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia province.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the situation had reached a breaking point, accusing Kabul of harbouring militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. He described the escalation as a direct confrontation between the two neighbours.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Pakistan’s claims and said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 posts seized in retaliatory operations. He confirmed that Pakistani forces carried out air strikes in several Afghan provinces but said there were no casualties in the initial overnight raids. He acknowledged civilian casualties in subsequent attacks without giving figures and said 13 Taliban fighters were killed and 12 wounded in fighting that lasted around two hours.

Both sides accused each other of backing militant groups. The Taliban denied supporting attacks against Pakistan but said they had launched retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military positions. Mujahid said Kabul remained open to dialogue despite the escalation.

The violence raises concerns of a prolonged conflict along the 2,600-kilometre frontier. While Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state, has significantly greater military resources, the Taliban have experience in guerrilla warfare after decades of insurgency before returning to power in 2021.

Diplomatic efforts are under way to ease tensions. Russia, China, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are reported to be seeking mediation. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed the situation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, stressing that any resolution would require mutual commitment. Iran has also indicated willingness to help de-escalate the crisis.

The latest exchange marks a sharp deterioration in relations between Islamabad and Kabul, with both governments trading accusations and warning of further action. Security has been tightened in Pakistan’s Punjab province amid fears of retaliatory militant attacks.