Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged dramatically along the disputed Durand Line, with Islamabad launching a military campaign named Operation Ghazab Lil Haq in direct response to reported cross-border aggression by the Taliban-led Afghan government.
According to Afghanistan’s officials, Taliban forces conducted heavy retaliatory operations using the 203 Mansouri Corps and the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps. Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated on X that these actions resulted in the capture of one Pakistani military headquarters at Anzar Sar in Khost province and 19 outposts. He reported up to 55 Pakistani soldiers killed, with 23 bodies recovered and others taken captive, alongside the seizure of numerous weapons. Operations reportedly continued in provinces including Paktia, Paktika, Nangarhar, and near the Torkham Gate crossing.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the offensive as a counter to repeated Pakistani assaults, framing it as a defense of Afghan territory.
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Pakistan has firmly rejected these casualty claims. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar countered that only two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded, while 36 Afghan fighters died. He labeled the Afghan actions as unprovoked and affirmed that Pakistan was mounting a strong and effective response. State broadcaster PTV News announced the initiation of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, portraying it as a reaction to aggression from across the border. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif emphasized that the armed forces were delivering a crushing reply and called on the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to unite with federal and provincial authorities in national defense.
The latest flare-up stems from earlier Pakistani airstrikes this week, which Islamabad said targeted militant training camps near the frontier. Afghan authorities countered that those strikes hit civilians, including women and children, and constituted a sovereignty violation.
Both sides have exchanged intense fire, prompting evacuations near Torkham and raising concerns of a broader conflict between the neighboring nations. As military exchanges persist, the situation remains highly volatile with no immediate signs of de-escalation.
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