How last night’s Pakistan–Taliban border clash unfolded: both sides claim heavy losses

Heavy fighting erupted along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border late Saturday, as Taliban and Pakistani forces exchanged fire and airstrikes across different areas, including Paktika and Helmand provinces in the east and south, leaving dozens dead on both sides and prompting urgent calls for restraint from regional mediators.

According to official statements and multiple local reports, the clashes began shortly after nightfall on October 11, when Pakistani border positions came under what Islamabad described as an “unprovoked attack” by Taliban forces. Pakistan’s military said the assault involved gunfire and small raids across several border outposts.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said troops “exercised the right of self-defense,” launching coordinated ground and air operations against what it called Taliban military infrastructure along the border. The military claimed its forces destroyed multiple Taliban camps, command posts, and logistical centers during the overnight operation.

In its statement, Pakistan said 23 of its soldiers were killed and 29 others wounded during the fighting, while it claimed that more than 200 Taliban and “affiliated militants” — including elements from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Daesh or ISKP — were killed in retaliatory strikes. The army also said it briefly captured 21 Taliban border outposts before withdrawing.

Independent confirmation of the casualty figures remains unavailable, as the affected areas are remote and access to the border is restricted.

Taliban’s version of events

The Taliban rejected Pakistan’s account, saying their fighters carried out a “retaliatory operation” in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes that hit Kabul and Paktia provinces on Thursday night. Those strikes, according to Pakistani media, were aimed at Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), though neither side confirmed the target.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said their forces launched attacks along the border late Saturday, claiming to have captured several Pakistani military posts before halting operations at midnight. He said the fighting was paused after mediation by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Mujahid said 58 Pakistani soldiers and nine Taliban fighters were killed in the clashes. “We acted on precise intelligence in response to aggression,” he told reporters in Kabul, accusing a “special unit” within Pakistan’s military of driving the conflict between the two sides.

Escalation and aftermath

By early Sunday, the fighting had largely subsided, but local residents reported continued troop movements and sporadic shelling near border districts in Afghanistan’s Paktia and Helmand provinces. Pakistan said it had conducted “precision strikes” to avoid civilian casualties and described its actions as “defensive.”

Video footage released by Taliban-linked media showed tracer fire and explosions along mountainous sections of the border, though their authenticity could not be independently verified.

Pakistani officials said the Taliban’s actions were coordinated with “terrorist factions” and accused Kabul of allowing anti-Pakistan militants to operate freely from Afghan soil. In Islamabad, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the Taliban of “igniting a campaign of fire and blood,” while Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed the Taliban were providing refuge to those responsible for attacks on Pakistan’s military.

Regional and diplomatic implications

The overnight fighting marks one of the most serious military escalations between the Taliban and Pakistan since the former seized power in Kabul in 2021. Relations have steadily deteriorated as Islamabad accuses the Taliban of sheltering TTP militants, while the Taliban deny the charge and accuse Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty through repeated airstrikes.

The timing of the border violence has further fueled diplomatic tension. The clashes occurred as Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting India — Pakistan’s longtime rival — to attend a series of meetings in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Iran, which shares borders with both Afghanistan and Pakistan, called for restraint and “mutual respect for sovereignty,” while Qatar and Saudi Arabia have reportedly stepped in to mediate between the two sides.

As of Sunday night, both militaries remained on high alert, with border crossings, including Torkham, closed to trade and civilian movement. Regional analysts warn that without direct dialogue, the situation risks escalating into a wider and more entrenched border conflict.