Taliban, Pakistan trade claims of heavy losses in border clashes

Pakistan and Afghanistan traded accusations on Sunday after some of the worst cross-border fighting in years reportedly left dozens dead on both sides, with Islamabad vowing “no compromise” when it comes to national sovereignty.

Pakistan sealed border crossings after forces exchanged heavy fire overnight. The Torkham crossing in the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chaman in the south-western province of Balochistan were closed, a security official said.

Pakistan’s civil and military leadership said 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in the border clashes.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what they called “provocations” by Afghanistan and praised the military for its response.

“We will not compromise on Pakistan’s defence,” Sharif said in a statement issued by his office. “Pakistan expects the Afghan interim government to ensure that its soil is not used by terrorist elements against Pakistan.”

Zardari said that “no compromise will ever be made on Pakistan’s national sovereignty.”

The military’s media wing, ISPR, said Pakistan had acted in self-defence after Afghan Taliban fighters and “Indian-sponsored terrorists” launched an unprovoked attack along the border on Saturday night.

It said the assault was repelled “decisively all along the border” and that more than 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants were killed. Taliban camps, training facilities and support networks were targeted with precision strikes, ISPR said.

In Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, seized more than 20 military posts and lost nine Afghan troops in the clashes.

He said the fighting, which the Taliban says erupted after Pakistani airstrikes hit Kabul and Paktika province on Thursday night, was halted at Qatar’s request and that Taliban forces were now in a defensive posture.

Mujahid accused Islamabad of harbouring Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) cells that had carried out attacks in Afghanistan and called on Pakistan to hand over or expel senior ISKP figures, including Shahab al-Muhajir. He also rejected Pakistan’s claims that the Taliban shelter fighters of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), insisting that no militants are allowed to operate in Afghanistan.

The Taliban spokesman warned that Afghanistan would respond to any further aggression and reserved the right to defend its sovereignty.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran have urged both sides to show restraint.

The claims made by both sides could not be independently verified.