Heavy clashes erupted along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Saturday, after Taliban forces launched retaliatory attacks against Pakistani security forces, accusing Islamabad of conducting airstrikes on Afghan territory.

According to the Taliban-run Afghan defense ministry, the fighting is in response to airstrikes reportedly carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul.

“In retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul, Taliban forces are engaged in heavy clashes against Pakistani security forces in various areas along the border,” the Afghan military said in a statement.

Fighting Spreads Across Border Provinces

Taliban officials confirmed that active fighting was taking place in Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Khost, and Helmand provinces — all bordering Pakistan.

A senior official in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province told AFP that "Taliban forces began using weapons. We fired first light and then heavy artillery at four points along the border.”

He added that Pakistani forces responded with heavy fire, shooting down three Afghan quadcopters suspected of carrying explosives.

“Intense fighting continues, but so far, no casualties have been reported,” he added.

Longstanding tensions and TTP violence

Tensions have escalated sharply in recent months amid increased attacks by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group accused by Islamabad of operating freely from Afghan territory. The TTP, which shares ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban and has received combat training in Afghanistan, has been blamed for hundreds of Pakistani military deaths since 2021.

Earlier this year, a UN report indicated that the TTP “receives substantial logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities” in Kabul.

“We will not tolerate this any longer,” Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told parliament on Thursday. “United, we must respond to those facilitating them, whether the hideouts are on our soil or Afghan soil.”

On Saturday, the TTP claimed responsibility for deadly coordinated attacks in northwest Pakistan that killed 20 security officials and three civilians.

Pakistan demands taliban stop harboring TTP

While Islamabad has not confirmed responsibility for Thursday’s explosions in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan, it has demanded that the Taliban stop harboring TTP militants.

“We call on Kabul to stop harbouring the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) on its soil,” Pakistani authorities stated.

Iran calls for restraint

Meanwhile, Iran urged both sides to de-escalate and avoid further regional instability.

“Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint,” said Iranian top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, in a live interview with state television.

“Stability between the countries contributes to regional stability,” he added.