Pakistani border forces and Taliban militants engaged in direct combat in the mountainous regions of the country's northwest. The conflict erupted on Thursday evening when the Afghan side opened fire on Pakistani checkpoints, provoking a two-hour battle involving heavy weaponry. Both sides claim significant enemy losses and the capture of border posts, but there is currently no independent confirmation of these claims. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
Afghan units launched the attack under cover of night, using armored Humvee vehicles to maneuver in the difficult terrain. The Pakistani Ministry of Information described these actions as "unprovoked fire" and reported an immediate response from its armed forces at several points along the demarcation line.
Footage from the scene shows intense firefights and the use of tracer rounds illuminating the valleys in the conflict zone.
Causes of escalation and threat of large-scale war
The current escalation is the Taliban's response to Pakistani Air Force airstrikes last weekend on camps of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Islamic State groups in eastern Afghanistan.
Official Islamabad emphasizes its readiness to take all necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity, while Kabul warns of further "measured responses" to violations of its sovereignty. The events of recent days threaten the fragile ceasefire established after previous deadly clashes last October.