At least 15 Pakistani soldiers were killed during retaliatory operations by Afghan Taliban forces near the Durand Line in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, officials confirmed on Friday.
According to Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Riaz, spokesperson for the Helmand provincial government, the strikes were carried out by Afghan forces in Bahrampur district, following Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on Kabul and Paktika provinces.
Riaz stated that Afghan forces captured three Pakistani military outposts and seized weapons and ammunition as spoils of war during the offensive.
The coordinated attacks, which began late Thursday night and ended around midnight, targeted Pakistani posts across multiple provinces including Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, and Kunar.
This marks one of the most serious cross-border escalations between the two nations in recent months, as tensions remain high following multiple clashes and airstrikes along the Durand Line.
