Pakistan has “effectively repulsed” Afghan Taliban insurgents at 53 locations along the border, inflicting heavy losses while exercising restraint to avoid civilian harm, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a press briefing on Friday.

“So far, 274 Taliban insurgents have been killed and over 400 injured,” he said. “Seventy-three posts along the border have been destroyed, while 18 posts are now in our possession.” He added that 115 tanks used by insurgents had also been destroyed during the engagements.

Lt Gen Sharif said clashes took place at 22 locations across Kandahar, Kabul and Paktia, targeting terrorist infrastructure. “We specifically targeted logistics bases and shelters used by terrorists,” he said. “No civilian damage was caused, and great care was taken to avoid any harm to civilians.”

He acknowledged that Pakistan had also suffered casualties. “Twelve of our soldiers were martyred, 27 were wounded, and one is missing in action,” he said.

The military spokesperson warned that Pakistan would respond decisively to any aggression and criticised the Afghan Taliban for adopting hostile rhetoric.

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“Earlier, India had developed this bug [to attack], and now the Afghan Taliban have developed the same bug,” he said. “Just as some quadcopters were destroyed last night, today the Afghan Taliban are shamelessly threatening to respond to Pakistan. This clearly shows how this master proxy encourages these terrorists.”

Lt Gen Sharif said Pakistan would hold the Afghan Taliban regime accountable for any attack originating from Afghan soil. “If there is any attack inside Pakistan, we will go after the Afghan Taliban,” he stated. He emphasised that the Afghan Taliban must make a clear and decisive choice.

“The oppressive Afghan Taliban regime has to make a clear choice between Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Islamic State (Daesh), Al-Qaeda — these terrorist organisations — and Pakistan,” he said. “This is not something new I am saying. The Pakistani government has conveyed this position many times before,” he added.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s national resolve, he added: “We are absolutely clear — Pakistan will always come above everything else.” “We have never hesitated to sacrifice for Pakistan, and we will always remain ready to make any sacrifice,” DG ISPR stated.

This is a developing story.