Islamabad, 26 September (H.S.): Pakistan has claimed that security forces thwarted an attempted attack from the Afghan side in the Gulistan sector along the border during the night of September 24-25. According to the Pakistani authorities, around 13 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and several others wounded in the ensuing engagement.

Citing Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Geo News reported that the ministry rejected Afghanistan’s claim that a Pakistani border post near Spin Boldak had been destroyed and that Afghan forces had suffered no casualties. The ministry described the Afghan claims as “fake and fabricated.” Pakistan’s account of the incident has not been independently verified.

According to the ministry, after thwarting the alleged Afghan attack in the Gulistan sector, Pakistani forces launched retaliatory action against Taliban border posts. Pakistan also released videos of the operation, describing them as evidence of the border engagement and the subsequent military action.

The development followed several alleged attempts by drones from Afghanistan to enter Pakistani airspace earlier this week. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had said that, in response, the Pakistani military carried out precision air and drone strikes at 10 locations in Afghanistan. Afghan authorities have disputed Pakistan’s account of the preceding events, and independent reporting has noted that the latest border claims have not been independently confirmed.

According to Pakistani security sources, eight drones that entered Pakistani airspace from Afghanistan were shot down. Four were brought down near the Torkham border, while four others were intercepted in mountainous areas near Kohat.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, claimed that 33 terrorists had been killed in various parts of Balochistan since September 21.

According to ISPR, the operations were part of an ongoing counter-terrorism campaign against groups that Pakistan describes as “Fitna Al-Khawarij” and “Fitna Al-Hindustan.” The military said that on September 24, security forces, operating under “Operation Shaban”, located additional militant hideouts. Following an exchange of fire, five militants were killed, taking the number of militants claimed killed in the operation to 22.

The military said weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the hideouts. It added that clearance operations would continue until the threat in the area was completely neutralised. The authorities also said counter-terrorism operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework would continue to counter what Pakistan describes as foreign-sponsored terrorism.

ISPR further said that an intelligence-based operation was conducted in Nushki district on September 25. According to the military, 11 militants were killed during an exchange of fire.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense over border security and militant activity since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Pakistan has repeatedly accused armed groups operating from Afghan territory of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan and has urged Kabul to take action against them. The Afghan Taliban administration has rejected these allegations. Recent reporting indicates that cross-border violence and mutual accusations have continued despite multiple rounds of talks.

Pakistan launched “Operation Ghazab lil-Haq” in February 2026, months after the two sides agreed to a ceasefire following clashes at several points along the border in October 2025.

There has been no independent verification of Pakistan’s claim that 13 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in the Gulistan sector. Afghanistan has disputed Pakistan’s account of the border incident, underscoring the conflicting narratives surrounding the latest escalation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar