Kabul was rocked by two explosions, and another occurred in a market in the border province of Paktika. The Taliban government accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s “sovereign territory.” Islamabad did not outright deny the explosions, but called on the Taliban to limit the Pakistani Taliban’s activities. A Pakistani security official told Reuters that airstrikes were carried out, and that their target in Kabul was the TTP leader, who was traveling in a vehicle. Pakistan and the Taliban, once allies with shared security interests, have become increasingly hostile due to Islamabad’s claims that the Taliban are harboring the TTP, an armed group accused of carrying out years of attacks in Pakistan. According to the Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, at least 2,414 deaths were recorded in the first three quarters of this year. The Pakistani army says 23 of its soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in overnight clashes on the border with Afghanistan. It adds that 200 Taliban and allied fighters were also killed. Afghanistan claims to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in the clashes. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi says Kabul “achieved our military objectives last night” and has “suspended [the fighting] on our side for the time being.” Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says he expects “the Taliban government to take concrete measures against terrorist elements and their perpetrators who wish to derail relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.” The clashes were triggered by a “wave” of attacks against Pakistani soldiers in recent weeks.
