Pakistan’s security forces destroyed three Afghan Taliban regime posts in the Chaman sector after unprovoked firing from the Afghan side, killing at least 23 Taliban soldiers, according to well-placed sources cited by The News on Sunday.
The confrontation began around midnight when Afghan Taliban fighters violated the ceasefire and launched small-arms fire on Pakistani border positions in Balochistan. Pakistan responded swiftly with precise small-arms fire aimed directly at the posts from where the firing originated.
According to local sources, the exchange continued intermittently for about 45 minutes before Pakistani forces escalated their response. Heavy weapons — including mortars, rocket launchers and direct-fire systems — were deployed to neutralise the threat, resulting in the complete destruction of three Afghan Taliban posts.
“Precision weapons were used to avoid collateral damage to nearby Afghan civilians,” the sources said. Over two dozen Taliban casualties were reported.
Taliban fighters reportedly abandoned their positions and attempted to relocate into civilian areas to mount a second round of firing. Pakistan’s forces responded again with heavy weapons and armed swarm drones, resulting in additional fatalities and injuries.
Facing significant losses, Taliban soldiers raised white flags and announced a ceasefire. Pakistan then allowed the evacuation of Afghan casualties under surveillance. Damage assessments confirmed at least 23 Taliban soldiers dead, with several others wounded.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for Foreign Media, Mosharraf Zaidi, said Afghan forces carried out “unprovoked firing” along the Chaman border and emphasized that Pakistan remains fully committed to protecting its territorial sovereignty and citizens.
However, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of launching attacks in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar. His deputy, Hamdullah Fitra, told Reuters that five people were killed by Pakistani shelling, including one Taliban member.
Rising Pak-Afghan Tensions
Border tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime have escalated sharply since October 11–12, when Taliban fighters and affiliated militants launched coordinated attacks on multiple Pakistani army posts. Pakistan shut down the Torkham and Chaman crossings the following day.
Subsequent clashes resulted in the deaths of over 200 Taliban and allied militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred.
Pakistan later conducted precision strikes deep inside Afghan territory, targeting terrorist hideouts in Kandahar and Kabul. A temporary ceasefire was agreed on October 15, followed by formal talks in Qatar that led to a ceasefire agreement on October 19 mediated by Doha and Türkiye.
However, follow-up talks in Türkiye collapsed after Pakistan rejected what it called the Taliban delegation’s “illogical” stance on cross-border terrorism. Mediators later convinced both sides to revive dialogue, leading to a reaffirmation of the ceasefire.
