Afghanistan launched an attack targeting Pakistani military positions along the border, killing several Pakistani soldiers, according to Afghan officials. The assault took place on Thursday and was described as a response to recent Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktia provinces. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated on X that Afghan forces opened fire without provocation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and warned that a swift and effective response would follow.

An Afghan military corps media office reported that intense fighting began late Thursday night, describing it as retaliation for Pakistan’s recent air operations. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X that Afghan forces carried out large-scale attacks on multiple Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line, claiming to have killed numerous soldiers, captured several others, and seized 15 outposts.

The cross-border violence follows Pakistan’s earlier strikes on Sunday that, according to the UN mission in Afghanistan, killed 13 civilians. Islamabad claimed those strikes killed 80 armed fighters, while Kabul said 18 people were killed, underscoring the conflicting narratives and rising tensions between the two neighbors.