2 Taliban commanders among 8 killed in clash with Pak forces, Afghanistan claims civilian casualties

ISLAMABAD: Two Taliban commanders were among eight fighters killed in a fresh confrontation late Sunday with Pakistani forces in Zazi Maidan district of Afghanistan's Khost province, bordering the tribal-dominant Kurram region on this side of the border. At least 16 more Taliban members were wounded in the clash, the second since last week along one of the 18 border crossings linking Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces with Afghanistan in the southwest and northwest.

Confirmation of the Taliban casualties by Pakistan's state-owned media contrasted with a statement by Afghanistan that unprovoked firing and shelling from across the border caused civilian deaths and displacement.

Pakistan said the fighting started after the Taliban attempted to illegally set up a checkpoint near the border. Light and heavy weapons were used by both sides, officials said.

“Afghan Taliban opened unprovoked firing with heavy weapons yesterday from inside Afghanistan, targeting Pakistani checkpoints," Radio Pakistan reported Monday. "Pakistani security forces responded effectively and killed eight Afghan Taliban, including commanders Khalil and Jan Muhammad."

Scores of families along the Durand Line, the 2,640km border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, have fled their homes due to repeated clashes between the Islamic Emirate forces and the Pakistani military.

"We have two casualties, one of them a woman, and about 11 wounded," Thamin Khan, a resident of Zazi Maidan district, was quoted as saying by official Afghan media.

"Bullets struck our homes and it is unclear what will happen next. This situation has caused problems for us, forcing many to migrate," Mohibullah, another resident of the conflict zone, said.

Videos circulating on social media showed heavy gunfire in the area.

Khost's deputy governor directed residents and the forces stationed along the Durand Line to respond appropriately to any attacks, while the Afghan deputy minister for borders and tribal affairs said in Kabul that the latest dispute had been resolved. Pakistan military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, hadn't responded to the claim till late Monday.

Clashes between Afghan Taliban and Pakistani forces have occurred frequently along the Durand Line, a disputed border, in recent years, often resulting in casualties on both sides.

Of the 18 border crossings, Chaman and Torkham are the busiest. Clashes often lead to closure of these border crossings, disrupting trade and movement of people. The Torkham border has been shut for the past three days after Afghan Taliban announced they were investigating reports of Pakistani fighter jets violating Afghan airspace to patrol Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.

Pakistani officials have accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering the banned militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Afghan authorities maintain that such security challenges are an internal issue for Islamabad.