Kabul, Afghanistan — Sunday:
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), announced on Sunday that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded during overnight retaliatory operations conducted across the Durand Line, escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries.
According to Mujahid, Afghan forces carried out the operation in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory. He added that during the operation, 20 Pakistani security outposts were destroyed, and several weapons and ammunition caches were seized temporarily.
“Nine Afghan soldiers were also martyred and 16 others wounded,” Mujahid said, noting that the operation was halted at midnight following requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia for restraint.
Allegations Against Pakistan over ISIS-K Presence
In a significant accusation, Mujahid claimed that ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), the group responsible for recent high-profile attacks in Iran and Moscow, now operates from training centers inside Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Training centers for ISIS-K have been established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and trainees are being brought there through Karachi and Islamabad airports,” Mujahid alleged.
“Our findings show that the attacks in Iran and Moscow were orchestrated from these centers.”
He asserted that the group was defeated within Afghanistan and later found sanctuary across the border, accusing Pakistan of harboring its members. Mujahid called on Islamabad to hand over key ISIS-K leaders to the Islamic Emirate.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise
Mujahid further revealed that Pakistan had requested to send a delegation to Kabul for talks, but the Taliban government rejected the proposal following Thursday night’s Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil.
The clashes, described as among the deadliest in years, have led to the closure of key border crossings, including Torkham and Chaman, disrupting trade and movement between the two countries.
Zabihullah Mujahid reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s warning:
“Any violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty will not go unanswered.”
Background
The latest escalation follows weeks of rising tension along the disputed Durand Line, where both Afghan and Pakistani forces have engaged in cross-border exchanges of fire. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul accuses Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty through airstrikes.
Analysts say the confrontation marks a dangerous new phase in Afghanistan–Pakistan relations, with the potential to draw in regional mediators such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China in efforts to de-escalate the situation.
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