Taliban claim major assault on Pakistani military posts as border fighting escalates

At least 12 civilians were killed and nearly 100 others injured in Afghanistan after fresh military clashes broke out with Pakistan in a remote northwestern border region.

The fighting on Tuesday marked the resumption of hostilities which erupted with clashes over the weekend that left at least 23 Pakistani troops and about a dozen Afghan soldiers dead.

It was the worst episode of fighting between the neighbours since the Taliban took back power in 2021.

In the aftermath, Pakistan shut down multiple crossings along the 2,600km frontier, abruptly halting trade and leaving scores of loaded goods vehicles stranded on both sides.

In the wake of the latest clashes, the Taliban claimed that they “killed a large number of Pakistani soldiers”, captured their posts, seized their weapons, and “destroyed” most of their facilities in retaliation for an attack in the early hours of Wednesday.

Government spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghan forces retaliated to Pakistani soldiers “invading” in the border district of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province.

Pakistan accused the Taliban of starting the fighting, saying its forces were responding to “unprovoked” cross-border firing by Afghan forces and local militants in the Kurram region.

The Pakistani military claimed the fighting was orchestrated by the Taliban "through divided villages in the area, with no regard for the civilian population”, Associated Press reported.

It also claimed to have killed between 15 and 20 Afghan troops, wounded many more, and damaged their forward posts as well as a tank, Pakistan Television reported.

“Taliban forces attacked a Pakistani post near Chaman,” local administrator Habibullah Bangulzai told Reuters, referring to the village where the fighting was concentrated.

The fighting continued for around five hours in the early hours of the morning, he said, adding that Pakistani forces "repulsed" the attack.

The Asian neighbours have been locked in hostility for years. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a proscribed group blamed for carrying out several major terror attacks in the country in recent years.

Kabul has denied the allegation.

US president Donald Trump earlier this week hinted at his willingness to mediate the conflict between the neighbours.

China urged both sides to maintain peace and to protect its citizens and investments, while Russia also urged restraint.