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At least 23 Pakistani troops and more than 200 Taliban fighters were killed in heavy cross-border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, marking one of the most violent confrontations since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021, according to Pakistan’s military. This contradicts the toll released by Afghanistan, which said 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed while nine Afghan troops lost their lives.

In a statement on Sunday, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the fighting erupted “on the night of Oct 11/12, 2025,” after what it described as an “unprovoked attack on Pakistan, along the Pak-Afghan border” by the Afghan Taliban and “India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij”, Dawn reported.

The ISPR identified Fitna-al-Khawarij as militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Fitna-al-Hindustan refers to insurgent outfits in Balochistan.

“During overnight skirmishes, 23 brave sons of Pakistan embraced shahadat (martyrdom) while defending the territorial integrity of our beloved country… According to credible intelligence estimates, more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists have been neutralised,” the military said.

The ISPR accused Afghan forces of firing at several locations — including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Bahram Chah in Balochistan — in what it described as a “cowardly action aimed at destabilising the border areas.”

As Pakistan Claims Attack 'Unprovoked', Kabul Calls It Retaliation

Afghanistan, meanwhile, claimed the operation was a “retaliatory measure” against alleged Pakistani air strikes in its territory earlier in the week. Kabul’s Defence Ministry maintained that the Taliban “carried out attacks at locations across the border” and that “58 Pakistani soldiers were killed while nine Afghan troops lost their lives.”

Pakistan has not confirmed the alleged air strikes but reiterated its demand that Kabul “stop harbouring the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan on its soil.”

Afghan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said during a press briefing that Taliban troops had also “captured some 20 Pakistani army posts overnight.” Pakistan, however, countered this by stating its forces had “briefly captured 21 hostile positions on the Afghan side.”

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the overnight strikes as “a serious provocation” on X (formerly Twitter). He said Pakistani forces had targeted “Taliban infrastructure and militant groups operating in Afghanistan.”

The ISPR added that Pakistan’s armed forces had launched “precision fires and strikes, as well as physical raids” on Taliban camps, posts, and training centres operating from Afghan territory. “All possible measures were taken to avoid collateral damage and protect civilian lives,” it said.

It further asserted that the Taliban government’s action was “facilitating terrorism in cohorts with India,” warning that Pakistan would “not rest until the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is completely eliminated.”

Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi Signals De-escalation

By Sunday afternoon, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi appeared to signal de-escalation while addressing a news conference in New Delhi. “We achieved our objective,” he said. “Then … friendly governments, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, they asked us to stop the war. So from our side, we stopped the fighting; and now the situation is under control. So we want good relations; we keep our doors open for talks.”

Both countries later stated that their forces would not target civilians.

Long-standing Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Tensions

The 1,600-mile-long frontier — known in Pakistan as the Durand Line — has long been a flashpoint between the two neighbours. Both governments have repeatedly accused each other of sheltering enemy militants and violating airspace.

In December last year, Afghanistan accused Pakistan of killing 46 people, including women and children, in air strikes in its eastern provinces. Islamabad maintained those operations had targeted Pakistani Taliban fighters.

According to Dawn, Pakistan’s ISPR concluded that while it preferred “constructive diplomacy and dialogue over violence,” it “will not tolerate the treacherous use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.”