Afghanistanโs Taliban-led defence ministry claimed that its forces captured 19 Pakistani military posts and 2 bases and shot down a F-16ย fighter jet on Thursday night, alleging that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clashes as the conflict between the two nieghbouring escalated overnight, with Islamabad declaring that it is now in an “open war” with the Taliban-ruled nation.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said operations had also been launched in Kandahar and Helmand along the disputed Durand Line against what he described as security posts of Pakistanโs military regime. Security sources told TOLOnews that Afghan forces had shot down a Pakistani aircraft, reportedly an F-16 fighter jet, that entered Afghanistan’s airspace. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistani authorities regarding the claim.
Airstrikes in Kabul, Kandahar
Earlier, Mujahid had stated that following retaliatory strikes by Afghan forces in eastern and southeastern regions against Pakistani targets, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. He maintained that despite the bombardment, no casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, Pakistan said its forces had inflicted significant damage on Taliban positions. According to Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistanโs prime minister, Pakistani strikes had destroyed 27 Afghan Taliban military posts and captured 9 others.
He further claimed that more than 80 tanks, artillery pieces and armoured personnel carriers had been destroyed in the operations. In a post on X, Zaidi wrote that Pakistanโs immediate and effective response to aggression was continuing.
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