Taliban's Defence Ministry Targets Pakistani Military In Retaliation To Aggression

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defence has reported that their border forces targeted military installations in Pakistan using heavy artillery as a countermeasure to what they described as "Pakistan's aggression”.

The ministry emphasised that its forces are fully prepared to counter any further aggressive acts.

Earlier, residents from the Dand-e-Patan district in Paktia province relayed to Afghanistan International that a violent encounter broke out between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards along the Durand Line. The confrontation reportedly commenced at 7am on Monday, March 18.

Following a missile attack launched by Pakistan, local media reported that inhabitants of the Dand-e-Patan area were forced to evacuate their homes.

This recent skirmish follows a series of air strikes conducted by the Pakistani Air Force on targets within the Khost and Paktika provinces.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, in an earlier statement, disclosed that these air strikes had resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including three women and three children, underscoring the human cost of the conflict.

The Taliban has issued a stern warning about the potential severe repercussions that continued Pakistani military actions could provoke, suggesting consequences that could extend beyond Pakistan's ability to control.

Local sources have shared with Afghanistan International that the early Monday operations by the Pakistani Air Force were aimed at positions associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan within the territories of Khost and Paktika.

These assaults, as detailed by sources, took place around 3am in both the Spera district of Khost and the Barmal district of Paktika, marking a significant escalation in the region's ongoing tensions.