Kabul: Afghanistan has claimed that its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers in retaliatory strikes along the Durand Line on Thursday.
The action was launched at 8.00 pm on the 9th of Ramadan, corresponding to February 26, in response to violation of Afghan territory by Pakistani military forces days earlier, the Ministry of National Defence of Afghanistan said in a press release.
Afghanistan has never officially recognised the 2,611 km (1,622 miles) border between the two countries, known as the Durand Line.
“A few days ago, the Pakistani military circles, with great audacity, violated Afghan territory, breached our borders, and martyred women and children here,” the statement said, as reported by ANI.
Afghan forces targeted Pakistani military posts in the eastern and southeastern directions along the Durand Line, near the provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan, it has been claimed.
“In these retaliatory operations along the Durand Line, a total of 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, two bases and 19 posts were captured,” the statement further added.
The
operation reportedly lasted four hours and Pakistani soldiers fled from four other posts, the ministry said. It also claimed that an enemy tank was destroyed and a large military transport vehicle was captured.
“During these operations, dozens of light and heavy weapons, ammunition, and military supplies were seized by Afghan forces,” the statement said.
“In this retaliatory operation, 8 of our Mujahideen achieved the high status of martyrdom, and 11 others were injured,” the ministry said. 13 civilians were injured in a missile attack on a refugee camp in Nangarhar.
Pakistan, in retaliation, initiated the ‘Ghazab Lil Haq’ operation targeting the Afghan Taliban regime, ARY News reported.
As many as 133 Afghan Taliban fighters have been killed and over 200 wounded, Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, claimed. The operations have also destroyed 27 Taliban posts and captured nine, Geo News reported.
It has been reported that Pakistani security forces carried out operations across multiple border areas, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur districts, destroying several Afghan Taliban posts.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had said earlier that the Pakistani military carried out airstrikes in parts of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.
“The cowardly Pakistani military has carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia; fortunately, there have been no reported casualties,” Mujahid posted on X.