Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes escalate as Taliban claims airstrikes, Islamabad reports downed drones

Afghanistan’s Taliban said they launched airstrikes into Pakistani territory, while Islamabad said its forces had intercepted and shot down four rudimentary drones in the southern resource-rich province of Balochistan.

Tuesday’s exchanges were the latest in a series of clashes between the South Asian neighbours.

Afghanistan’s defence ministry said its forces launched airstrikes on what it said was an ISIS centre in the town of Saranan in Pakistan’s border province of Balochistan, as well as elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
In a statement, Pakistan’s military said the drones were spotted immediately and neutralised. Provincial authorities confirmed the drone attack and said a drone was sighted near a government school in Saranan. Two people were injured, officials said.
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Afghanistan has no fighter jets but is known to possess at least six aircraft and 23 helicopters, data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies shows. The Taliban forces are also known to have drones that have been used in fighting with Pakistan.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants it blames for plotting attacks in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban denies the accusations, saying militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem.

At least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in Monday’s airstrikes by Pakistan on its border with Afghanistan, in what Islamabad called retaliation for “terrorist attacks” on its soil.

The conflict between the allies turned foes has killed hundreds of people this year, with no results yet from efforts to ease tension mediated by China.

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