The Taliban Ministry of Defence in Afghanistan reported that its forces successfully repelled a major cross-border incursion by anti-Taliban rebels in the eastern province of Nuristan over the weekend. According to Kabul, the fighters entered the remote Kamdesh district from Pakistan. The Taliban accused Islamabad of directly supporting the militants and urged regional countries to remain vigilant against what it called Pakistan's "exporting conflict".
The operation marks the first large-scale attack launched in Nuristan by the anti-Taliban Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) since the 2022 fighting in Panjshir. The AFF, however, disputed the Taliban's account, claiming they repelled a Taliban infantry and drone assault on their positions, killing five members of the Taliban security forces. The casualty figures from both sides could not be independently verified.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that while anti-Taliban armed opposition groups remain active in several provinces, they are fragmented and have posed no significant challenge to the Taliban's hold on territorial control. UNAMA's assessment suggests that the Taliban's control over the region remains relatively stable despite ongoing resistance.
Pro-Taliban social media accounts circulated videos showing over a dozen captured men confessing to receiving limited weapons training, ranging from half a day to several days, at a camp in Pakistan. These videos appear to support the Taliban's claims of Pakistani involvement in the incursion. The Taliban has long accused Pakistan of supporting militant groups operating in Afghanistan.
Relations between neighbouring Afghanistan and Pakistan remain strained over security concerns. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban authorities of supporting the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that has carried out attacks inside Pakistan for decades. Kabul denies the allegations, leading to ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Tensions escalated sharply after Pakistan's defence minister declared an "open war" with Afghanistan in late February. Islamabad has since launched multiple cross-border airstrikes, resulting in significant civilian casualties. The deadliest incident occurred during a March 16 airstrike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, where the UN independently verified 269 civilians were killed and 122 injured.
The UN has documented over 1,100 civilian casualties from cross-border violence so far this year. The ongoing violence has raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in the region and the impact on civilians caught in the conflict. The international community has called for restraint and dialogue to resolve the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Key points
- The Taliban Ministry of Defence claims 28 militants were killed and 32 captured in the cross-border incursion from Pakistan.
- The anti-Taliban Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) disputes the Taliban's account, claiming they repelled a Taliban assault and killed five Taliban security forces members.
- The UN has documented over 1,100 civilian casualties from cross-border violence so far this year.
