Smoke rises over Pakistani base near Afghan border amid ongoing clashes

Smoke rises over Pakistani base near Afghan border amid ongoing clashes

"Smoke was seen rising from a Pakistani military base located on the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday, amid heavy clashes between the two countries' forces. The base is situated in the Chaman area in northwest Pakistan, which saw intense fighting earlier in the day, with reported injuries on the Pakistani side. The Pakistani army claimed in a press release that its forces had repelled a Taliban attack at four locations in Spin Boldak district in Balochistan province. It alleged that between 15 and 20 Taliban fighters were killed, with others wounded. The Pakistani army also rejected Taliban accusations that it shelled civilian sites in Kandahar, calling them "blatant and disgraceful lies." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Taliban in Afghanistan announced today that Pakistani forces launched attacks on Kandahar, resulting in 12 deaths and over 100 injuries. The clashes between the two countries began when Islamabad reportedly conducted airstrikes on Afghanistan, according to Afghan sources. Afghan forces fired on Pakistani positions along the border, which led Islamabad to retaliate with gunfire and artillery. Kabul stated that it halted the attacks following requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both of which expressed concern over the escalating violence. Reports indicate that the Pakistani airstrikes, which Islamabad has not officially acknowledged, targeted a senior Taliban commander in Pakistan, although the outcome of the strike remains unclear. "