Taliban-Pakistan Border Clashes Escalate Amid Rising Casualties and Calls for Dialogue
Border clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan have intensified, resulting in increased casualties on both sides. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban administration’s spokesperson, stated that they seek to resolve tensions through “dialogue and peace.” However, recent days have seen an escalation in crossfire and retaliatory attacks, with the death toll rising.
On Friday night, March 8, Mujahid held a press conference in Kandahar, affirming the Taliban’s commitment to peacefully resolving disputes. He reported that 13 Taliban fighters have been killed and 22 others wounded in the clashes. On the opposing side, he claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 outposts destroyed.
The Taliban spokesperson also asserted that they hold 23 bodies of Pakistani soldiers and have captured a number of prisoners, with exact figures to be announced later. Pakistani officials have not yet officially confirmed these Taliban claims.
According to reports, total casualties for both sides have reached 48, including 12 Pakistani soldiers and one civilian across the border, as well as 13 Taliban fighters and 22 Afghan civilians. The rise in civilian casualties has raised concerns about crisis management and the protection of residents in border areas, a persistent challenge amid the ongoing tensions.
The clashes began on Thursday night after the Taliban forces responded to Pakistani airstrikes within Afghan territory conducted on Sunday. Pakistan escalated the conflict on Friday with heavy artillery and fresh air attacks, broadening the scope of the fighting.
Mujahid denied Islamabad’s allegations that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan operates from Afghan soil, asserting that the Taliban administration will not permit the use of Afghanistan’s territory against any country. He described Pakistan’s internal conflict as an “internal issue” and emphasized that the Taliban’s foreign policy is based on “mutual respect.”
Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that acting minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held telephone conversations with Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifi and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to discuss de-escalation and strengthening diplomatic channels. These talks follow Qatar’s previous mediation efforts between the two neighbors.
The ongoing conflict occurs against a backdrop of long-standing border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The absence of a clear and sustainable mechanism to manage disputes has continually increased the risk of crisis escalation. With rising casualties and damages, it is expected that the Taliban administration and Pakistani authorities will take practical and immediate steps to prevent further violence.
