(MENAFN- Live Mint) Clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late Saturday after the Afghan Taliban reportedly attacked Pakistani military posts, according to security officials from both nations, as reported by Reuters.

The violence followed a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul earlier this week. Video footage shared by Pakistani security officials showed gun and artillery firing towards Afghanistan, lighting up the night sky.

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Retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes

Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense, stated that the assault was a retaliatory response to Pakistan's violation of Afghan airspace. He added that the operation ended at midnight local time.

Activists of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party protest after authorities blocked the road with shipping containers in Lahore on October 10, 2025, ahead of their pro-Palestinian march towards Islamabad. (Photo by Arif ALI / AFP)

“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's airspace, our armed forces are prepared to defend their airspace and will deliver a strong response,” Khowarazmi said.

There was no immediate response from Pakistan regarding whether the clashes had ceased. The Pakistan-Afghanistan border spans approximately 2,600 kilometres (1,615 miles).

Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban government of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants who launch attacks on Pakistan, allegedly with support from India, an accusation New Delhi firmly denies.

Meanwhile, the Taliban maintain that they do not permit their territory to be used for actions against other countries, Reuters reported.

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A Pakistani security official had told Reuters this week that the airstrike had targeted the leader of the Pakistani Taliban militant group in Kabul, travelling in a vehicle. It was unclear if he had survived.

Islamabad had warned Kabul that its patience was exhausted. The Taliban's foreign minister visited India this week, the first such visit by a senior Taliban official since the group took control in 2021, and the two nations agreed to strengthen their ties. That visit heightened concerns in Pakistan, where there has been an increase in militant attacks since the Taliban assumed power.

Uptick in violence

In recent months, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants have escalated their attacks on Pakistani security forces, particularly in the mountainous regions along the Afghanistan border.

Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban government of failing to expel militants who use Afghan soil to stage cross-border attacks, an allegation Kabul denies.

The TTP and its allied groups are responsible for the majority of this violence, which is primarily aimed at security personnel. Earlier this year, a United Nations report stated that the TTP“receive substantial logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities,” referring to the Taliban-led administration in Kabul.

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Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told parliament on Thursday that several efforts to convince the Afghan Taliban to stop backing the TTP had failed, AFP reported.

"We will not tolerate this any longer," Asif said.“United, we must respond to those facilitating them, whether the hideouts are on our soil or Afghan soil.”

Saudi Arabia says practice 'self-restraint'

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has stated in the backdrop of violent clashes along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for "self-restraint" to avoid further escalation.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with concern the tensions and clashes taking place in the border areas between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the State of Afghanistan. The Kingdom calls for self-restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom, which will contribute to reducing tension and maintaining the security and stability of the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement.

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Both sides must exercise restraint.

“The Kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its constant keenness to ensure the establishment of security in a way that achieves stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples,” it added.

Iran reacts to Afghanistan-Pakistan clash

Iranian senior diplomat Abbas Araghchi on Saturday urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" as tensions continue to escalate between the two neighbouring countries amid ongoing border clashes.

We will not tolerate this any longer.

“Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint,” Araghchi said during a live interview with state television, adding that“stability” between the countries“contributes to regional stability”, as reported by AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

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