Six Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Khost Border Clashes

Taliban authorities said six Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 others wounded during fresh border clashes in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province, following what they described as Pakistani artillery shelling along the disputed frontier.

The claim, reported Monday by state-run Bakhtar News Agency, could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate official confirmation from Islamabad.

Bakhtar said the fighting broke out overnight along the Durand Line after Pakistani forces launched artillery attacks, prompting what Taliban officials described as a defensive response. The reported exchange adds to weeks of escalating military confrontation between the two sides, with both Kabul and Islamabad accusing each other of provoking violence and targeting border positions.

The latest violence comes even as Taliban and Pakistani representatives are engaged in talks in China aimed at reducing tensions and finding a political way forward. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday that discussions with Pakistani representatives were ongoing, underscoring a parallel diplomatic effort despite continued fighting on the ground.

The border fighting reflects a deeper breakdown in relations, driven largely by Pakistan’s accusations that militant groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, operate from Afghanistan territory. Taliban authorities have repeatedly denied those claims, while Pakistan says its recent military actions are part of a broader campaign to neutralize cross-border threats and militant infrastructure.

Civilians have continued to bear the brunt of the cross-border conflict, with repeated reports of casualties, damaged homes and displacement in eastern Afghanistan provinces. The United Nations has urged both sides to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue, warning that continued escalation risks worsening humanitarian conditions for communities already under severe strain.

Military tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have sharply intensified in recent months, especially after Pakistan launched a broader operation following cross-border firing in late February. Since then, both sides have issued sharply conflicting casualty claims, while international observers have warned that the conflict is becoming increasingly dangerous for civilians living near the frontier.

While diplomatic contacts in China suggest both sides are still seeking an off-ramp, the latest clash in Khost shows how fragile those efforts remain. Unless the border violence is contained, the risk of further military escalation and humanitarian fallout is likely to remain high in the coming days.

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