ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN: Iran on Sunday offered to mediate between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban after Pakistani forces launched a strong retaliation against “unprovoked aggression” by Taliban fighters and Afghanistan-based terrorist groups.
Tehran expressed “deep concern” over the border clashes, calling on Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban to avoid further confrontation, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said that Tehran “emphasises the necessity of mutual respect for the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of both countries.”
He urged both sides to “exercise restraint and immediately initiate dialogue” to prevent a wider conflict, adding that Iran was “ready to assist in easing tensions” between the two neighbours.
Pakistan Repels Cross-Border Aggression
According to Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Taliban fighters and India-sponsored terrorist groups launched a series of coordinated attacks on the night of 11–12 October along several sectors of the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.
The ISPR said the attackers attempted to infiltrate Pakistani territory through “simultaneous fire and physical raids” aimed at destabilising border areas and facilitating terrorism.
“Exercising the right of self-defence, Pakistan’s alert armed forces decisively repelled the assault all along the border, inflicting heavy casualties,” the statement said.
Pakistan said its precision strikes and ground operations targeted Taliban camps, posts and training facilities on Afghan soil while avoiding civilian harm.
The military confirmed that 21 Afghan Taliban and Afghanistan-based terrorist groups’ positions were captured temporarily and multiple terrorist compounds were destroyed.
During the overnight aggression by the Afghan Taliban, 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred and 29 others wounded, ISPR stated. Intelligence reports suggested that more than 200 Taliban and Afghanistan-based terrorists were neutralised, with “extensive infrastructural damage” to their networks.
Security officials said Pakistani forces carried out precision strikes on Taliban strongholds, including the Ismatullah Karar Camp in Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak sector — described as a major hub for anti-Pakistan operations. The facility was destroyed, causing “heavy losses” to Taliban fighters and terrorists.
Taliban Positions Destroyed
Security sources said that Pakistani artillery, drones and fighter jets struck multiple Taliban positions across the border in Kurram, Bajaur, and Angoor Adda, targeting compounds used by terrorist groups, including Fitna al-Khawarij, Fitna al-Hindustan and ISKP/Daesh.
At least 19 Afghan Taliban posts were captured during the exchange before Pakistani forces withdrew after completing their objectives, the sources said.
Video footage circulating online showed artillery units engaging Taliban posts. Several key Taliban installations — including Kharcher Fort, Durani Camp and Manojaba Battalion Headquarters — were destroyed in the strikes, according to the security sources.
Pakistani Forces on High Alert
ISPR said Pakistan’s armed forces remain “fully prepared to protect the life and property of the people” and that their resolve to defend the country’s sovereignty is “unwavering.”
Security sources noted that the Taliban aggression coincided with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, describing it as a “concerning development” given India’s role in regional instability and sponsoring terrorist groups.
Security sources said that the cross-border firing was aimed at facilitating the movement of Indian-sponsored terrorists into Pakistan, but said the attempt was “thwarted through timely and powerful response.”
Tribal Support for Pakistan Army
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal districts, local leaders voiced solidarity with the armed forces, announcing that tribesmen would “stand shoulder to shoulder” with security forces against Taliban-backed terrorists.
“Defending our homeland is our duty, and we will not allow terrorists to destabilise our region,” tribal elders said in an audio message shared on social media.
