Islamabad: The British established the 2,790-km-long Durand Line, which serves as the de facto border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in 1893. However, no Afghan government, including the Taliban*, has accepted the Durand Line, which passes through 12. Afghan province. The Taliban have also objected to fencing along the border with Pakistan.
The Taliban claimed on Wednesday that a disagreement between its fighters and Pakistani forces on the Durand Line the night before had turned into a deadly shootout, with casualties on both sides.
"Construction of military installations and border posts on the Durand Line is prohibited." On the other hand, the Pakistani army tried to erect a structure very close to the border,” said Taliban deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi.
According to Karimi, Taliban guards opposed the construction of a new border post, prompting Pakistani troops to open fire on fighters of the Islamist group. He claimed that Taliban fighters retaliated against Pakistani forces, resulting in casualties on both sides.
On Tuesday evening, Pakistani forces and the Taliban clashed in the restive Kurram Agency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan's Pakhtia province.
According to the Pakistan Army's media department, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), three soldiers were killed in the clashes.
"Pakistan strongly condemns the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for anti-Pakistan activities and hopes that the Afghan government will not allow such activities in future," the army said in a statement.
According to credible intelligence reports, the terrorists suffered heavy losses as a result of the firing by their own troops," the ISPR statement continued. Islamabad's statement did not mention Taliban border guards, who called the other side "terrorists".
Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban government have been strained since the group came to power in August 2021 due to border disputes and the alleged presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP)** terrorists in Afghanistan.
The Taliban is currently mediating a peace deal between Islamabad and the TTP, whose stated goal is to destabilize the Pakistani government.
According to Islamabad, attacks by TTP fighters, many of whom are based in Afghanistan, continue despite repeated pledges from the Taliban that its territory will not be used as a launchpad for terrorist groups.
Following a cross-border terrorist attack by TTP fighters, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted air strikes in Kunar and Khost provinces in April, killing several people.
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