KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan said Sunday it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border operations in response to what it called repeated violations of its territory and airspace.
Earlier this week, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing the capital Kabul and a market in the east of the country. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghan forces overran 25 Pakistani army posts, killing 58 soldiers and wounding 30 others.
“The situation at all official and de facto borders of Afghanistan is under full control and illegal activities have been largely prevented,” Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan about the casualties.
The Taliban government's Defense Ministry said early Sunday that its forces had carried out “reactive and successful operations” along the border.
“If the opposing side again violates the territorial integrity of Afghanistan, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the country’s borders and will give a decisive response,” the ministry added.
The Torkham border crossing, one of the two main trade routes between the two countries, did not open at its usual time of 8am on Sunday.
Pakistan accuses the Afghan authorities of harboring members of the banned group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. Islamabad claims the group carries out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, but Kabul denies the accusations, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack on Saturday night and said the country's army “not only gave a befitting response to Afghan provocations, but also destroyed several of their posts, forcing them to retreat.”
Qatar's Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the escalation of the conflict and the potential consequences for the security and stability of the region. He called on both sides to prioritize “dialogue, diplomacy and restraint.”
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Saturday calling for “restraint, prevention of escalation, and dialogue and wisdom to help de-escalate tensions and maintain security and stability in the region.”
Saudi Arabia has just concluded a mutual defense pact with Pakistan, which apparently brought the kingdom under Islamabad's nuclear umbrella following Israel's attack on Qatar.
A senior Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said Afghan forces opened fire in several northwestern border areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including Chitral, Bajaur, Mohmand, Angur Adda and Kurram districts.
The official also said troops responded with heavy weapons near Tira in Khyber Agency and across the border in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
The two countries share a 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border known as the Durand Line, but Afghanistan has never recognized it.
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Associated Press writers Sajjad Tarakzai in Islamabad and John Gambrel in Cairo contributed to this report.
