New Delhi: Taliban forces have retaliated against Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, resulting in the deaths of 15 Pakistani soldiers, including in the capital, Kabul.

Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Riaz, spokesperson for the Helmand provincial government, told the media that 15 Pakistani soldiers were killed during last night’s retaliatory operations by Afghan forces near the Durand Line in Bahrampur district. He added that Afghan forces also captured three Pakistani military outposts and seized weapons and ammunition.

Which areas are affected?

In response to Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Kabul and Paktika provinces, Afghan forces have targeted Pakistani posts in Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, and Kunar. All these provinces lie along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Airstrikes and retaliation

On Thursday, three explosions were reported in Afghanistan, two in Kabul and one in southeastern Paktika. The Taliban-run defence ministry blamed Islamabad for the attacks and accused it of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

The Afghan military said in a statement, “In retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul, Taliban forces are engaged in heavy clashes against Pakistani security forces in various areas along the border.”

Later, defence ministry spokesman Enayat Khowarazm said that the “successful” operations had ended at midnight.

“If the opposing side violates Afghanistan’s territory again, our armed forces are ready to defend their territory and will respond firmly.”

Pakistan’s position

Islamabad has not confirmed it was behind Thursday’s attacks but called on Kabul “to stop harbouring the Pakistani Taliban on its soil.”

Who are the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan?

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, is an ideological ally of the Afghan Taliban and assisted it during the 2001-2021 conflict.

A senior official in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, said, “This evening, Taliban forces began using weapons. We fired first light and then heavy artillery at four points along the border.” He added, “Pakistani forces responded with heavy fire and shot down three Afghan quadcopters suspected of carrying explosives. Intense fighting continues, but so far, no casualties have been reported.”

TTP militants have intensified their attacks on Pakistani security forces in the mountainous border regions in recent months. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of failing to expel militants using its territory to launch attacks, a charge denied by Kabul.

Pakistan’s warning

Earlier this year, a UN report said the TTP “receive substantial logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities,” an apparent reference to the Taliban government in Kabul.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told the National Assembly last week, “We will no longer tolerate this. United, we must respond to those facilitating them, whether the hideouts are on our soil or Afghan soil.”

On Saturday, the TTP claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in northwest Pakistan that left 20 security officials and three civilians dead.