A violent escalation between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan Army has left dozens dead, with both sides trading accusations and civilian casualties mounting in the crossfire. The incident underscores the worsening instability along the volatile border, which has long been a flashpoint for violence fueled by Pakistan’s duplicitous policies toward terrorism.
The Taliban, now governing Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for striking “several points” within Pakistan in retaliation for Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province earlier this week. According to the Taliban, these airstrikes targeted a refugee camp in the Barmal district, killing 46 people, including women and children. In contrast, Pak military reported “unprovoked heavy weapons fire” from the Taliban on its border outposts, which it claimed was part of an infiltration attempt.
Pak military asserted that counterfire killed over 15 militants and inflicted “significant losses” on Taliban forces. Yet the fallout from this skirmish raises serious questions about Pakistan’s conduct and credibility. Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that key hospital departments in Paktika were severely damaged during this operation, adding a humanitarian dimension to an already dire situation.
The Pak Army, long nurturing extremist groups for strategic depth, now finds itself grappling with the very forces it helped empower. For decades, Paki establishment has been a key supporter of the Taliban, harboring its leaders and providing safe havens while simultaneously projecting itself as a victim of terrorism. This double game has not only destabilized Afghanistan but has now backfired spectacularly, with militant groups turning their guns on their former patrons.