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'We are not afraid!' - Friday Ramadan prayers held under heavy security amid Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes

'We are not afraid!' - Friday Ramadan prayers held under heavy security amid Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes

"Hundreds of worshippers gathered for Friday prayers at Lahore's Martyrs' Mosque under heightened security, as cross-border hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated on Thursday. Footage on Friday shows worshippers streaming into the mosque and being screened at its entrances. Additional footage shows Pakistani security personnel deployed around the mosque, alongside images of the congregation performing Friday prayers. "This war will be short lived, it would go for three days at max. But after that if the Afghans tried to act smart, they should not forget that Pakistan has given shelter to millions of their countrymen," stated Muhammad Waseem. "We are not afraid of anything, 'Pak Army' is here to defend us. We came here to pray and God Almighty is the creator of the world and takes care of everything," said Khalid Shah, another worshipper. The stepped-up security measures in Lahore and other Pakistani cities come amid ongoing military escalation and exchanges of cross-border fire between the two neighbours. At time of publication, the Pakistan army alleged 274 'Taliban fighters' had been killed - and 12 Pakistani soldiers. Afghanistan’s defence ministry said that 55 Pakistani soldiers had been killed, along with eight Afghan soldiers. It comes after months of tensions, with both sides trading cross-border fire that left multiple casualties. Afghanistan launched what it described as a 'major attack' on Pakistani military positions near the border on Thursday. The Taliban government framed the operation as retaliation for deadly airstrikes earlier this month that local reports say killed at least 13 people. Pakistan, for its part, said those previous attacks targeted 'militants' plotting 'suicide attacks' on its soil. Pakistan carried out airstrikes on the capital Kabul and two other provinces overnight Thursday into Friday. "