The Taliban claimed on Sunday that their forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and wounded more than 30 in retaliatory strikes near the Durand Line in Behrampur district. Spokesperson Zabeehullah Mujahid said the attacks were a response to Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory and warned Pakistan that “no attack will be left unanswered.”
Mujahid accused Islamabad of harbouring ISIS militants and urged Pakistan to expel or hand over “important ISIS members who are hiding” on its soil. He alleged that recruits were being transported via Karachi and Islamabad airports to training centres in Pashtunkhwa, from which attacks on Afghanistan were reportedly being planned.
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The Taliban spokesperson added that a “significant amount of weapons” fell into Islamic Emirate hands during the clashes and acknowledged casualties among their own forces. He said Afghan forces would respond harshly to any violation of their airspace or aggression against their territory.
Mujahid also said the airstrikes were halted after interventions by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Afghanistan reported several explosions during the period, and Kabul accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty; Islamabad denied involvement but urged Afghanistan to stop sheltering Pakistani Taliban factions. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif defended the army’s actions, saying Pakistan had responded forcefully to provocation.
