The military’s media wing on Wednesday announced the Afghan Taliban had targeted several locations in a “cowardly attack” along the border with Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa overnight, adding the assault was “effectively repulsed” by Pakistani forces.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Taliban had targeted four locations in the Spin Boldak area of Balochistan early on Wednesday. It said the attack was orchestrated through divided villages in the area, with no regard for the civilian population. “The Afghan Taliban also destroyed the Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate on their side that clearly displays the mindset with regards to mutual trade and easement rights of the divided tribes,” it added.
According to the military’s media wing, 15-20 Afghan Taliban were killed in the retaliation, while many more were injured. “The situation is still developing. There are reports of further build up in staging points of Fitna al Khwarij and Afghan Taliban,” it added.
The ISPR said that prior to the attack in Spin Boldak, the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khwarij tried to attack Pakistani border posts in the Kurram sector of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday night. “These attacks were effectively repulsed causing heavy losses to Afghan posts,” it said, claiming eight posts and six tanks were destroyed in the “effective yet proportionate” response of Pakistani troops.
During the assault, 25-30 Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khwarij fighters were suspected to have been killed.
“The insinuations that the attack was initiated by Pakistan are outrageous and blatant lies, just like the claims of capturing Pakistani posts or equipment,” read the statement. “The propaganda of Taliban regime can be debunked with basic fact checks,” it added.
“The armed forces stand resolute and fully prepared to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. All acts of aggression against Pakistan will be responded to with full force,” it emphasized.
Earlier, media reports quoted security officials as saying one of the Taliban posts near Kurram had raised the white flag before its fighters abandoned it.
This marks the second such incident where Afghan Taliban, in collusion with terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (Fitna al-Khwarij), have attempted cross-border aggression. On Oct. 11, Afghan forces opened unprovoked fire at multiple border points along the Durand Line. Pakistan struck several Afghan border posts and terrorist hideouts in retaliation, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists. During the assault, 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom while defending the motherland.