Pakistan says it repelled Taliban border attack in Gulistan
Pakistani authorities say security forces have repelled an attack by Taliban administration forces in the border area of Gulistan, an incident that points to continued military tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier.
Reuters, citing Pakistani security sources, reported that the authorities said on Friday, without giving further details on how the attack unfolded, that several members of the group were killed in the clash. The Taliban administration has not yet responded to Pakistan’s latest claim.
Earlier, the Taliban administration’s 205 Al-Badr Corps in Kandahar said overnight that it had attacked a Pakistani border post in areas bordering Spin Boldak district. The corps spokesman claimed the attack completely destroyed a Pakistani border post and caused casualties among Pakistani troops.
The incident comes as tensions between the Taliban administration and Pakistan have again risen in recent days. The Pakistani army carried out airstrikes late on Wednesday in parts of Kandahar, Khost and Paktia provinces and said it had targeted a military center.
The Taliban administration says four people were killed in the Wednesday night strikes. Pakistan also bombed parts of Kunar and Paktika provinces on Monday, in attacks that the Taliban administration says killed three people.
Pakistan, in turn, said its Monday strikes had targeted Pakistani militant bases and killed 28 fighters. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of sheltering Pakistani militants, an allegation the Taliban administration rejects, saying insurgent activity in Pakistan is that country’s internal matter.
Gulistan is among the border areas near Spin Boldak in Kandahar province, a region that in recent years has repeatedly seen clashes, border tensions and exchanges of fire between the two sides.
