Several Afghan Taliban fighters were reportedly killed in a clash with Pakistani security forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan, according to sources cited by state media.
The incident took place in the Gulistan sector, where Afghan Taliban fighters allegedly attempted to cross into Pakistani territory and launch an attack. Pakistani security forces responded to the reported cross-border aggression, resulting in the deaths of several Afghan Taliban fighters.
Sources said intermittent firing between Pakistani security personnel and Afghan Taliban fighters continued after midnight, while security forces maintained heightened vigilance in the area. The latest incident has added to growing tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained amid repeated Pakistani concerns over cross-border attacks and the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
The latest clash follows a series of incidents involving drones, cross-border firing and militant activity. Earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan had carried out precision air and drone strikes at 10 locations inside Afghanistan after drones launched from the neighbouring country entered Pakistani airspace.
According to Pakistani security officials, eight drones crossed into Pakistani airspace near Torkham and Kohat and were subsequently shot down. Afghan Taliban forces were also accused of opening fire near Kurram while Pakistani troops were attempting to prevent militants from crossing the border.
Pakistan has intensified its military response following a series of terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On September 21, Pakistani forces carried out what officials described as calibrated airstrikes against militant hideouts and safe havens in the border region with Afghanistan. Government officials said more than 28 militants were killed in those strikes.
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing militant groups, particularly the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from its territory. Kabul’s position and responses to these allegations have been disputed, while the situation along the border remains tense.
The recent escalation also followed a deadly attack on the Police Lines in Kohat, where 23 people were killed and around 100 others were injured. Pakistani security forces later conducted an overnight clearance operation and killed eight attackers, according to officials.
Pakistan has referred to its ongoing military response as Operation Ghazab lil Haq. The operation was launched after Pakistani authorities reported firing from across the Afghan border in February.
Islamabad also carried out strikes in Afghanistan’s border areas in June, saying the action was in response to terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Officials at the time claimed that 25 militants were killed in strikes targeting locations in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar.
Cross-border tensions continued in July, when Pakistani security forces responded to reported firing by Afghan Taliban forces at border posts in Kurram. Pakistani authorities also said Afghan Taliban forces launched several small drones towards Balochistan, which were intercepted by Pakistani forces.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for verifiable action to prevent Afghan territory from being used for terrorism against neighbouring countries. Pakistani officials have also raised concerns about the presence of numerous militant groups in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has told the United Nations Security Council that it reserves the right to respond to terrorist threats originating from Afghanistan in self-defence and in accordance with international law.
The Foreign Office has maintained that meaningful improvement in relations with Kabul depends on concrete and verifiable action against the TTP and other militant organisations operating from Afghan territory.
A UN Security Council-mandated monitoring report covering December 2025 to June 2026 also highlighted increased militant activity linked to the TTP. The report said continued support for the group had contributed to an increase in the frequency and severity of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, while noting that Afghan authorities had taken some initial measures against the organisation.
The latest Balochistan border clash underscores the continuing security challenges along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier as Islamabad seeks stronger measures against militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
