Pakistani forces kill Afghan Taliban fighters in border escalation

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   Pakistani forces kill Afghan Taliban fighters in border escalation

   Pakistani security forces have killed several Afghan Taliban fighters in a border escalation. The fighting occurred in the Gulistan area of the Pakistan-Afghan border, with reports of intermittent exchanges of fire. Pakistan had previously carried out airstrikes on 10 sites in Afghanistan, accusing Kabul of drone attacks. Afghanistan has vowed to respond to the Pakistani airstrikes that killed civilians.

   Why it matters

   The escalation is part of a deterioration in relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out attacks on Pakistani soil. The Afghan Taliban and Pakistan were once allies, but their relationship has soured in recent years.

   What is confirmed

   • Four civilians were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan.
   • Pakistan carried out airstrikes on 10 sites in Afghanistan.
   • Several Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in a border clash with Pakistani forces.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said it killed 28 fighters and captured 32 in Nuristan, blaming a Pakistan-backed cross-border attack.
   • Pakistan says 13 Afghan Taliban personnel were killed in an overnight border clash, a claim denied by Kabul.

   What to watch next

   • Further escalation of violence along the Pakistan-Afghan border
   • Afghanistan's response to Pakistani airstrikes
   • Pakistan's next steps in addressing militant groups in Afghanistan
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. Al Jazeera — Afghanistan vows to respond after Pakistani air strikes kill four
   2. AP News — Pakistani airstrikes target Afghanistan after Islamabad accuses Kabul of drone attacks
   3. Reuters — Pakistan air strikes kill 4 civilians in Afghanistan, Kabul says
   4. Dawn — Dangerous border
   5. BBC — Four civilians killed in Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan, Taliban says
   6. Al Jazeera — Pakistani forces kill Afghan Taliban fighters in border escalation
   7. reuters.com — Explainer: What has turned the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan from partners to foes?
   8. The Hill — 13 Afghan Taliban personnel killed in overnight border clash, Pakistan says. Kabul denies the claim
   9. Dawn — Info ministry dismisses Afghan claims of destroying Pakistani post near border in Balochistan as 'fake'
   10. Reuters — Pakistan thwarts border attack, several Taliban dead, security sources say
   11. Click2Houston — Pakistan says it struck 10 sites in Afghanistan after accusing Kabul of drone attacks
   12. www.bbc.co.uk — Four civilians killed in Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan, Taliban says - BBC News
   confidence 75%