SRINAGAR: Twenty-eight “fighters” were killed after crossing from Pakistan into eastern Afghanistan, most of them former Afghan security personnel, Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Defence Ministry told Reuters on Sunday.
The ministry said the men had crossed into Afghanistan from Pakistan, but did not provide further details about the circumstances in which they were killed.
Pakistan, however, rejected claims by the Taliban authorities that Pakistani forces or intelligence agencies had backed the “fighters” involved in the reported activity in Nuristan.
The development comes amid renewed tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, including reported clashes in the Gulistan sector along the Durand Line.
The latest escalation was also reported to have resulted in the deaths of several Taliban members, although the exact number of casualties was not immediately clear.
Afghanistan International, citing sources, reported that details of the planned attack remained unclear. Pakistani security sources, meanwhile, described the operation as “retaliatory”, saying it followed an alleged attempt to enter Pakistani territory and carry out what they termed aggressive activities.
Intermittent exchanges of fire between Afghan Taliban forces and Pakistani security personnel have continued, with troops deployed along the border remaining on high alert.
