ARACHINAR: Pakistan’s security forces foiled an attempted militant infiltration from Afghanistan into Kurram before responding to fire from Afghan Taliban positions along the border, security sources said Tuesday.
The attempted infiltration was launched from positions in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, with the militants identified by Pakistani authorities as members of Fitna al-Khawarij. Pakistani troops stopped them from crossing into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the sources.
After the infiltration attempt was thwarted, Afghan Taliban forces opened fire on Pakistani border posts in the Kurram sector using heavy weapons, mortars and other arms, the sources said.
Pakistani forces responded with small and heavy weapons, including artillery, targeting several Afghan Taliban border posts, mortar positions and defensive positions, according to the sources.
The sources said the Pakistani response silenced the positions from which the firing was coming and forced several Afghan Taliban personnel to abandon their posts and flee.
Pakistani forces continued to monitor the border and remained on high alert for any further infiltration attempt or cross-border firing, the sources said.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, following a series of militant attacks and military operations in the region. Pakistan has repeatedly accused militant groups of using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside the country, while Afghan authorities have rejected such allegations.
