'Response to airstrikes carried out by Pakistani forces' - Afghan military spox on latest escalation
"Afghan military spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Thursday that Afghan forces had launched attacks on Pakistani positions, during the latest escalation between the sides. “At this moment, it is eight o’clock, and in response to the airstrikes carried out by Pakistani forces in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, the Khalid bin Walid 201st Corps in the eastern zone has launched attacks on Pakistani military posts in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces,” said the representative of the 201st Khalid ibn al-Walid Corps. Earlier, Mujahid wrote on X that large-scale offensive operations had begun against Pakistani army positions and military installations along the Durand Line, the border separating the two countries. According to the statement, the operations were launched in response to what Kabul described as repeated attacks by Pakistani forces. Pakistan reported that security forces had 'responded immediately and effectively' to what it described as a 'provocative action' by the Afghan Taliban along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border Afghanistan-Pakistan escalation ramped up on Thursday, following months of tensions, with both countries launching cross-border strikes and casualties reported. Afghanistan launched what it called a 'major offensive' on Pakistan military posts near the border on Thursday, which the Taliban government said was a response to deadly airstrikes earlier this month. Pakistan, which said those earlier attacks were on 'militants' who were being 'suicide attacks', carried out airstrikes on the capital Kabul and two other provinces over Thursday night and into Friday. Pakistan also claims that Kabul harbours Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, which the Taliban government strongly denies. "