Kabul, Oct 12 (NVI) Afghanistan today said its forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and injured over 30 while capturing 20 border military posts of the neighbouring country in retaliatory operations last night.
The Afghan forces lost 6 men while 16 were injured, the Taliban regime’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said while addressing a press conference here.
Two days after facing Pakistani airstrikes, Afghanistan last night carried out a massive cross-border military action targeting Pakistan’s posts at a number of places along the frontier and destroying several of them.
The Afghan Army stated in a press release that it launched attacks on Pakistani military outposts near the Durand Line (the border not accepted by the Taliban regime) in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, in retaliation for Pakistan’s airstrike on Kabul.
Intense clashes took place in Paktika, Kunar, Khost, Nangarhar and Helmand areas along the Durand Line. Firing and shelling continued for several hours and were stopped in the early hours today.
The Taliban regime said Pakistan Army targeted civilian areas of Afghanistan in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, forcing hundreds of villagers to flee from their homes.
Zabiullah said the Afghan forces halted the operations following requests from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
However, he warned that if Pakistan provokes again by violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty and airspace, Kabul will respond firmly.
“A decisive and strong response will be given to those who undertake aggression against Afghanistan,” Zabiullah said.
The spokesman informed that Afghanistan government has cancelled a proposed visit of a Pakistani delegation to Kabul as a protest against violation of its airspace by Pakistani military.
Meanwhile, all the border crossing points have been closed in view of tensions between the two neighbours.
The Afghan attack came two days after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Kabul and Paktika provinces, ostensibly to target top leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Afghanistan’s Taliban regime said the Pakistani airstrikes had hit a chicken market, without causing any major harm.
It had vowed to take steps to protect the country’s sovereignty. (NVI)
