‘Unprovoked hearth on a number of border posts’: Pakistan forces, Taliban locked in tit-for tat battle – Occasions of India

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated into lethal clashes on the border, leaving no less than eight people useless and 13 others, together with civilians, injured on the Afghan facet. The continuing battle, which continued into late Saturday evening, comes amidst the rising pressure between the 2 nations, as soon as thought-about allies.
The violence adopted an intense change of fireplace, reportedly triggered by Pakistan’s focused airstrikes on alleged camps of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan’s japanese Paktika province earlier within the week. Pakistani safety officers declare the strikes had been a response to a failed infiltration try by militants from Afghanistan.
In keeping with Pakistani sources, militants making an attempt to breach the border on Friday evening had been repelled by Pakistani forces. The next morning, these militants allegedly joined Afghan forces to launch coordinated assaults on Pakistani border posts utilizing gentle and heavy weapons. The assaults focused a number of areas, together with Ghozgarhi, Matha Sangar, Kot Ragha, and Tari Mengal.
Pakistani forces retaliated, reportedly inflicting important losses and forcing the attackers to desert their posts. Nonetheless, the violence additionally claimed the life of 1 Frontier Corps soldier and left 11 others injured.
A protracted-standing challenge of cross-border militancy
Pakistan has lengthy accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP militants who’ve intensified assaults on Pakistani safety forces in latest months. These assaults, notably within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan areas, have heightened safety issues in Islamabad.
Whereas urging the Afghan authorities to take decisive motion in opposition to the TTP, Pakistan mentioned that dialogue between the 2 nations couldn’t happen amidst ongoing violence.
Whereas these diplomatic calls had been failing, tensions flared after Pakistan’s airstrikes within the Barmal district of Paktika on December 24, which reportedly killed no less than 46 people, together with girls and kids. The Taliban’s ministry of protection condemned the strikes, describing them as an assault on civilians and vowing retaliation.
Diplomatic efforts amid rising hostilities
The airstrikes got here on the identical day a Pakistani delegation led by Particular Consultant Muhammad Sadiq met Afghan leaders in Kabul in an try and resume diplomatic dialogue after a year-long hiatus. Nonetheless, the Afghan authorities lodged a proper protest over the airstrikes, accusing Pakistan of concentrating on civilians slightly than militants.
The escalating battle comes in opposition to the backdrop of strained relations following the TTP’s termination of a ceasefire with Pakistan in November 2022. Since then, assaults by the TTP have claimed the lives of quite a few Pakistani troopers, additional deteriorating ties between the neighbors.
What lies forward?
The renewed border violence, marked by each airstrikes and floor clashes, exhibits a rising mistrust between Kabul and Islamabad. Whereas Pakistan continues to demand motion in opposition to the TTP, the Afghan Taliban denies harboring militants and accuses Pakistan of concentrating on civilians beneath the guise of counterterrorism operations.