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Afghanistan Kills 28 Fighters in Nuristan as Pakistan Tensions Rise — AI-generated representative image: rugged mountainous terrain along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, where cross-border clashes have escalated tensions.

Editorial Team

Taliban defence ministry claims border fighters crossed from Pakistan amid escalating Kabul-Islamabad accusations

Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence said its forces killed 28 fighters in the eastern province of Nuristan who had crossed the border from Pakistan, in the latest escalation of a growing dispute between the two neighbours.

In a statement posted on X, the Taliban-led defence ministry confirmed it clashed with the opposing group on Sunday, and alleged that most of those killed were former Afghan government security personnel recruited by Pakistan's intelligence services.

The incident deepens a volatile security standoff along the shared border, where both governments have repeatedly traded accusations over cross-border militancy. The exchange matters because it threatens to further destabilise an already fragile region and undermines efforts to hold either side accountable for armed groups operating near the frontier.

Clashes and Competing Accounts

Afghanistan's defence ministry alleged that most of the 28 fighters killed in Nuristan were former Afghan government security personnel recruited by Pakistan's intelligence services with promises of asylum and well-paid employment in foreign countries.

The ministry further claimed the group included ISIL (ISIS) fighters who were supported by Pakistani militias. Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rejected the allegations, describing them in a post on X as "frivolous, baseless and devoid of any truth."

Pakistan also denied that its security forces or intelligence agencies were involved in the Nuristan clashes, had recruited or trained former Afghan security personnel, or had facilitated ISIL (ISIS) or other armed groups inside Afghanistan.

Escalating Border Tensions

The clashes follow a sharp rise in tension between the two countries. Last week, Pakistan launched air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan that it said were used to store and launch drones, some of which were employed in cross-border attacks.

Those Pakistani air strikes on Thursday killed at least four people, according to a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban government, who promised to deliver an "appropriate response."

Sunday's incident also follows earlier Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan on September 21, which Islamabad said killed 28 fighters. Afghan officials said civilians were killed, and the UN mission in Afghanistan confirmed three civilian deaths.

Pakistan's Official Response

Pakistan's information ministry said the Taliban "should take credible and verifiable action against terrorist organisations operating from its territory" and fulfil its obligation so that "Afghan soil will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other country rather than attempting to deflect responsibility through fabricated accusations."

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of sheltering fighters who attack its territory, a charge Kabul denies.

What Comes Next

The two governments remain locked in mutual accusations, with no confirmed independent verification of the competing claims about Sunday's clashes. The Afghan Taliban government has signalled it may respond to Pakistan's recent air strikes, while Pakistan has called on Kabul to act against armed groups operating from Afghan soil. Further developments are awaited.