Azernews.Az

Pakistani minister claims Afghan government ‘usurped’ basic rights of Afghans

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says the Afghan government is based on “repression” as he gives a news conference on the escalating tensions between the two countries, Dawn reported.

“[They] try to subdue women, minorities and children. And they have usurped the basic rights of the citizens of Afghanistan. And hence, I will term it an illegitimate regime,” he said.

Tarar went on to mention two attacks in Pakistan, including an attack on a Shia mosque, without specifically mentioning Afghan involvement.

The minister added that “the Afghan Taliban regime is totally aligned with terrorists and fully backing terrorists.”

****17:31

'Hot pursuit was inevitable’: Retired Marshal on Pakistan’s cross-border operation with Taliban

Pakistan delivered a clear message to the Taliban, says retired Air Marshal Amir Masood to AzerNEWS

Retired Air Marshal Amir Masood has described Pakistan’s recent cross-border military action inside Afghanistan as a “final warning” following what he said was a sustained surge in terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory.

In remarks on the ongoing tensions, Masood stated that the operation involved both ground forces and the air force and came after “three years of repeated warnings” by Islamabad regarding an increase in terrorist incidents across Pakistan.

He said numerous civilians, including women and children, had been killed in attacks on mosques and other targets, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to Masood, many of the militants apprehended or killed during operations were Afghan nationals.

Masood alleged that these groups were using weapons left behind by U.S. forces after their withdrawal from Afghanistan, describing the cache as worth billions of dollars. He further claimed that militant outfits such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operate as an extension of the Afghan Taliban, and linked their activities to broader regional networks that also include Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Islamic State (Daesh).

The retired air marshal also alleged external backing for these groups, claiming that funding and logistical support were being provided by foreign intelligence services. He argued that the presence of multiple militant organizations operating freely inside Afghanistan had effectively created “safe havens” and training camps that threaten regional stability.

Referring to recent strikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province as well as in the Kabul and Kandahar areas, Masood described the actions as a “hot pursuit” conducted in a “surgical” manner to dismantle militant hideouts.

He said Pakistan had conveyed its concerns not only to Afghan authorities but also through diplomatic channels involving regional and international actors, urging Kabul to prevent its territory from being used for attacks.

Masood expressed hope that the message had been received clearly and that further escalation could be avoided through dialogue. “I hope sanity will prevail,” he said, emphasizing the need for negotiations and a peaceful solution to prevent broader regional instability.

****16:55

During a press conference, the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations of Pakistan Armed Forces (DGISPR) said the line between terrorism and the Afghan Taliban has “become further blurred,” alleging that elements within Afghanistan are linked to militant groups operating against Pakistan, AzerNEWS reports via the exclusive information obtained by DND News Agency.

According to the military spokesperson, the Afghan Taliban are acting as mentors to global terrorist organizations, including Islamic State (Daesh), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The DGISPR also accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to fulfill commitments made under the Doha Agreement signed in Doha, Qatar, arguing that Afghanistan has become a threat to regional and global peace.

“Pakistan will continue to purge terrorists,” the spokesperson stated, emphasizing that current military actions have targeted only military installations. However, he warned that in the event of further escalation, Pakistan reserves the right to strike not only operational sites but also locations where the “designers and mentors” of terrorist activities are based.

****16:03

Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of Pakistan military’s media wing, says 274 Taliban fighters have been killed and more than 400 injured by Pakistani attacks.

He added that 115 tanks, armoured personnel carriers and artillery pieces were also destroyed.

On the other hand, at least 12 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the latest cross-border fighting with Afghanistan, Pakistani army spokesperson has confirmed in a press conference.

****15:40

Afghanistan wants fighting to be ‘resolved through dialogue’

Afghanistan’s government spokesman Mujahid says his government wants “dialogue” with Pakistan to resolve the ongoing fighting.

“We have repeatedly emphasised a peaceful solution, and still want the problem to be resolved through dialogue,” Mujahid said in a news conference.

****14:30

Which sites have been bombed?

****14:26

The Pakistan military spokesperson says 228 Taliban fighters have been killed and 314 injured in the attacks.

The spokesperson added that 74 Taliban posts were destroyed and 18 captured.

Meanwhile, 27 people were injured in Pakistan.

Earlier, the Taliban government said eight of its fighters were killed and 11 wounded.

****13:35

Pakistan’s former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail says the government and Pakistani people have “nothing against the proud and poor citizens of Afghanistan”, AzerNEWS reports.

“But it is the Taliban (Afghanistan & Pakistan) who have forced Pakistan into this conflict,” he said on X.

“For the sake of innocent civilians on both sides of the border, I hope the Taliban stop with incursions into and terrorism in Pakistan.”

****12:13

The Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah ⁠Mujahid says Afghanistan carried out “large-scale offensive operations” against the Pakistani military “along the Durand Line” that separates the two countries, AzerNEWS reports.

Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry said the clashes lasted about four hours, during which light and medium weapons were used.

It added that the military operation was stopped at midnight local time by the order of the Afghan chief of staff who said the operation’s “specified objectives” were achieved.

****10:20

Pakistan launched strikes on the Afghan cities of Kabul and Kandahar in the early hours of Friday, according to Pakistani government officials, AzerNEWS reports via BBC.

A spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban said on X that it had responded with renewed attacks against Pakistani troops along their shared border - though the post has now been deleted.

Pakistani authorities said that their "counter strikes" on the Afghan cities were a response to "unprovoked Afghan attacks" - though the Afghan Taliban said those were in response to earlier Pakistani strikes.

The two countries agreed a fragile ceasefire in October after deadly cross-border clashes, but fighting has flared once again in recent days.

133 Afghan soldiers were killed, 27 military posts were destroyed, and 9 posts were captured according to the Pakistan Ministry of Defense. In contrast, the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense reported that 15 Pakistani military posts were captured.

Which areas have been targeted in the fighting?

Reports on fighting and air strike locations have not been independently verified but government accounts from both sides have provided some information.

A spokesperson for Pakistan’s PM says three main regions in Afghanistan have been targeted with air strikes: Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.

A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban forces named the same locations in a post on X.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information also said it was also targeting Afghan Taliban forces in several districts of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province: Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur.

Residents in Kabul heard loud blasts across the city on Friday, AFP reported.

Both sides claim to have inflicted heavy losses on each other during recent clashes. People in Pakistan's border regions told the BBC they had heard explosions and were asked to move to safety.

Pakistan earlier said that two of its soldiers have been killed after the Afghan Taliban launched an operation against military positions along their shared border late on Thursday.

Three others were injured as Pakistani forces responded to the "unprovoked fire", Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.

The Afghan Taliban said it had launched the "large-scale" operation in response to strikes earlier this week, which it claimed had killed at least 18 people. Islamabad said it had targeted alleged militant camps and hideouts.

Taliban military spokesman Mawlawi Wahidullah Mohammadi said the "retaliatory operation" had been launched at around 20:00 local time (15:30 GMT) on Thursday.

The group's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the offensive had killed "numerous" Pakistani soldiers and captured others.

This was denied by a spokesman for Pakistan's prime minister, who also contested Mujahid's claim that 15 military posts had been captured.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi dismissed claims of damage on the Pakistani side and said all aggression would receive an "immediate and effective" response.

Mujahid wrote on X that "in response to repeated border violations and insurgency by Pakistani military circles, large-scale preemptive operations were launched against Pakistani army centres and military installations" along the border.

Pakistan's government said the Taliban had "miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations" across the border in its north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which had been met with an "immediate and effective response" by Islamabad's security forces.

"Early reports confirm heavy casualties on [the] Afghan side with multiple posts and equipment destroyed," said a Ministry of Information & Broadcasting statement shared on X.

"Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens."

Residents reported hearing a heavy exchange of fire along the border. Those living near Pakistan's border town of Torkham were asked to vacate the area.

Officials suspended the repatriation of deported Afghan nationals back over the border in the town due to the clashes. The crossing was also closed to Afghan refugees.

Kabul had warned of retaliatory action "at the appropriate time" following the strikes overnight into Sunday.

Islamabad had said it targeted seven alleged militant camps and hideouts near the border and that they had been launched after recent suicide bombings in Pakistan.

Kabul meanwhile said civilian homes and a religious school had been targeted, with women and children among the dead.

The exchange of fire comes despite the two countries agreeing a ceasefire in October.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 1,600-mile (2,574 km) mountainous border.

Official footage published by the Pakistani Ministry of Defence; the videos have been obtained by DND News Agency: