'Revenge op': Taliban claims 58 Pakistani soldiers killed in border clash; issues stern warning

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban authorities successful Afghanistan, announced connected Sunday that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed during Saturday night's clash betwixt Afghan and Pakistani forces on the border, Afghanistan's quality outlet Tolo News reported.Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s defence minister, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, warned that Afghan forces are "fully prepared to defend" the country’s borders, a time aft deadly "retaliatory" strikes connected Pakistani subject positions on the Durand Line.Yaqub Mujahid said the Taliban authorities delivered a "resolute response" to Pakistan’s "repeated transgressions", targeting subject and militia outposts successful Helmand, Kandahar, Paktika, Khost, Paktia, Zabul, Nangarhar, and Kunar provinces.Also read: Midnight op & a warning: Pak soldiers killed successful fierce borderline clashes with Taliban — 10 things to knowAccording to Afghanistan’s ministry of defence, the operations concluded by midnight. Mujahid has instructed the "Islamic Army" to stay connected precocious alert on the Durand Line, informing that if Pakistan "repeats its erstwhile mistakes", Kabul’s effect "will beryllium much terrible than before."Addressing a property conference, Mujahid said, arsenic quoted by Tolo News, "Afghanistan has the close to support its aerial and onshore borders and volition not permission immoderate onslaught unanswered."

Maulvi Mohammad Qasim Riaz, spokesperson for the Afghanistan's Helmand provincial government, told the media that Afghan forces carried retired the cognition adjacent the Durand Line successful the Bahramcha district. Afghan troops besides captured 3 Pakistani information posts during the attack, Kabul based quality outlet Hurriyat Radio reported..

Pakistan closes borders

Pakistan closed its main borderline crossings with Afghanistan connected Sunday aft overnight clashes betwixt information forces of the 2 countries, quality bureau Reuters reported, quoting officials.Pakistan’s 2 main crossings with Afghanistan — Torkham and Chaman — were unopen connected Sunday, on with astatine slightest 3 smaller routes astatine Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, and Ghulam Khan, section officials added.Earlier successful the week, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing the capital, Kabul, and a marketplace successful the country’s east. Pakistan did not assertion work for the assault.