Pakistan shivers in Taliban’s ‘revenge’; loses 59 soldiers but still claims victory

The Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict escalated on Sunday morning, with the former claiming to have killed over 59 Pakistani soldiers. The conflict shook the leadership in Pakistan, which claimed it captured over 19 Afghan outposts in retaliatory attacks.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces had captured 25 Pakistani military posts, killing 58 soldiers. Mujahid, while holding a press conference on Sunday on the ongoing Pakistani counter-offensive since Saturday night, claimed that Afghan forces destroyed several Pakistani posts during the counter-offensive and temporarily took possession of some weapons.

Soon after, Taliban leader and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi issued Pakistan a stern warning. Talking to the Indian press, he said the situation was under control now. "We want a peaceful resolution of the situation, but if the  peace efforts don't succeed, we have other options," he said.

He also addressed speculations that Pakistan started escalation against  Afghanistan because it is coming closer to India, “Ask this to Pakistan. We have no difficulty at all. We have a bigger heart,” he said.

Conflict broke out on Saturday night after Afghan fighters opened fire at Pakistani soldiers in retaliation for the Kabul bombing. Afghan officials had  described the Kabul attack as "Pakistan's mistake", adding that “it was not good to tease Afghanistan.”

Taliban describes the act as "revenge acts,” adding that  Pakistan had captured 20 check posts but abandoned them after stopping the attacks. “The clashes were stopped last night at the request of Saudi Arabia and Qatar," he said.

However, Pakistan has another claim, stating that the clashes were in  response to unprovoked firing by Afghan forces on the Pakistan-Afghanistan  border. The Pakistani army launched a counter-offensive early Sunday morning, during which several Afghan posts were destroyed and 19 key locations were captured, while the Afghan army and militants suffered heavy casualties, they claimed.

“Taliban fighters fled their positions, leaving behind the bodies of the dead and equipment. Pakistani armed forces also destroyed several 'Kharijite command centers', including Durand Mela, Turkmanzai, Shaheedan, Jandosar and Kharchar,” Pakistan security sources added.

They claimed Afghan forces were thrown into panic and reportedly requested Pakistan to stop its heavy retaliatory action after multiple Afghan posts.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reacted, stating there will be no compromise on Pakistan's defence. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also used harsh words to fight Afghanistan, stating Pakistan's forces are on alert and are "answering Afghanistan with stones for bricks."

He said that the fabric of the game of fire and blood that Afghanistan is playing resembles that of our eternal enemy.

World