At midnight local time on October 11, fierce firefights broke out along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to information from the security agencies of both countries, Afghan Taliban militants attacked several Pakistani border outposts. This conflict occurred after the Pakistani Air Force launched a large-scale air strike on four cities in Afghanistan, including Kabul, early on October 10.
Afghan Defense Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi stated at a later press conference that this attack was a retaliatory action against Pakistan's "violation of Afghan airspace." He said that this attack would end after midnight local time on October 11.
Khowarazmi stated in his statement: "If the other side again violates Afghan airspace, our armed forces are ready and will definitely respond with strong measures."
In addition, the Afghan Defense Ministry also released a similar statement on X, reiterating that this attack was a retaliation for Pakistan's "violation of Afghan airspace."
Regarding the conflict, according to Reuters, the Afghan side claimed that its forces had captured three Pakistani border outposts, while the Pakistani side said that its army had destroyed multiple outposts on the Afghan side and carried out a "comprehensive counterattack" against the "unprovoked fire" coming from the Afghan side. Reuters cited Pakistani security officials who said that the firefight occurred at more than six locations along the border.
According to previous reports, at around midnight local time on October 10, the Pakistani Air Force launched a large-scale air strike on four major cities in Afghanistan. The JF-17 "Falcon" fighter jets, F-16 fighter jets, and Wing Loong armed drones jointly carried out operations, destroying multiple bases of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militant group.
The trigger for this operation was the significant casualties suffered by the Pakistani military due to TTP attacks. In just one battle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on October 8, the Pakistani military lost about 16 soldiers.
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif issued a firm warning in the National Assembly: "Pakistan's patience has run out, and those harboring militants must pay the price." Analysts believe that this cross-border military operation is not only a "last straw" for Pakistan's internal security crisis but also a strategic warning to the Afghan Taliban authorities over their growing relations with India.
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