(MENAFN) Afghanistan reported on Sunday that nine of its soldiers were killed and more than a dozen injured during overnight clashes with Pakistani security forces, as both sides engaged in cross-border shelling and heavy artillery fire.

Speaking at a news conference in Kabul, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s interim government, claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were also killed and another 30 injured during the confrontations on Saturday evening. He added that Afghan forces had captured over 20 Pakistani security posts.

Pakistan has not officially commented on these claims, though some Pakistani security sources stated that 19 Afghan posts were taken over by their forces.

Mujahid said that Afghan troops halted their operations against Pakistani outposts after mediation efforts from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as reported by Afghanistan’s private broadcaster.

The latest escalation follows accusations from Afghanistan’s interim Taliban administration that the Pakistani army violated Afghan airspace over Kabul and bombed a market in the Margha region of Paktika province, which borders Pakistan, on Thursday night. Islamabad has not confirmed involvement but emphasized it will protect its citizens, citing an increase in terrorist attacks attributed to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan asserts that TTP militants operate from Afghan territory and accuses Kabul of failing to stop attacks on Pakistani soil, while Afghanistan denies these claims, insisting it does not allow its territory to be used against neighboring countries.

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