“Special circles” within Pakistan are working to damage relations with Afghanistan amid escalating border tensions and recent cross-border clashes, officials claimed.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi accused “special circles” within Pakistan of attempting to damage relations between the two neighbors, as border tensions and deadly clashes continue to escalate.
Speaking at a press conference at Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi on Sunday, Muttaqi said Taliban forces had given a “serious response” to recent cross-border threats. “There are certain groups in Pakistan working to spoil relations between our two countries,” he said. “Afghanistan is united, and our people stand with their security forces against any aggression.”
Muttaqi stressed that the Taliban would continue to defend Afghanistan’s sovereignty and respond to what he called “foreign invasions.” He said Kabul’s position on border security was firm and guided by the principle of defending national territory.
His remarks followed reports of overnight clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Taliban fighters had captured 25 Pakistani border outposts and killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in the fighting. He added that nine Taliban members were also killed.
Independent verification of the Taliban’s claims was not immediately possible, and Pakistani officials have yet to comment publicly on the incident. Cross-border skirmishes between the two sides have intensified in recent weeks, particularly along the volatile Durand Line.
The escalation marks one of the most serious flare-ups in months between Kabul and Islamabad. Both governments have traded accusations of harboring militants and violating each other’s sovereignty.
Analysts say Muttaqi’s remarks highlight deepening mistrust between the two countries. They warn that without urgent diplomatic engagement, the ongoing clashes could spiral into a wider conflict, threatening security and stability across the region.
