KABUL — An Afghan government spokesperson said Sunday that 55 civilians have been killed in clashes with Pakistan since Thursday, as border fighting between the two countries escalates.Hamdullah Fitrat said in statements posted on X that the dead include women and children, with 69 others injured.He added that at least a dozen civilian homes were destroyed.The casualties were reported in Paktika, Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces.Pakistan has maintained that its actions were carried out in “self-defense” and said no civilians were targeted.Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Sunday that 415 Afghan Taliban operatives and suspected militants have been killed and more than 580 injured in airstrikes and clashes since Thursday.Kabul, in turn, said 56 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the fighting.According to figures released by both sides, at least 81 people have been killed in total. These include 12 Pakistani soldiers and one civilian, while Afghan authorities said 13 of their soldiers were killed along with 55 civilians. One Pakistani soldier remains missing.The casualty figures provided by both Islamabad and Kabul could not be independently verified.Separately, Pakistan said it foiled an infiltration attempt by militants at the Qila Saifullah Sector, with state-run Pakistan Television reporting that multiple attackers were killed.Pakistan launched airstrikes in late February on what it described as “terror targets,” claiming 70 militants were killed.Afghan officials and the United Nations have reported civilian casualties from those strikes, which Pakistan denies.Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated in recent months, with Pakistan accusing militants of operating from Afghan territory — an allegation Kabul rejects — even as diplomatic efforts continue to ease tensions.KABUL — An Afghan government spokesperson said Sunday that 55 civilians have been killed in clashes with Pakistan since Thursday, as border fighting between the two countries escalates.Hamdullah Fitrat said in statements posted on X that the dead include women and children, with 69 others injured.He added that at least a dozen civilian homes were destroyed.The casualties were reported in Paktika, Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces.Pakistan has maintained that its actions were carried out in “self-defense” and said no civilians were targeted.Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Sunday that 415 Afghan Taliban operatives and suspected militants have been killed and more than 580 injured in airstrikes and clashes since Thursday.Kabul, in turn, said 56 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the fighting.According to figures released by both sides, at least 81 people have been killed in total. These include 12 Pakistani soldiers and one civilian, while Afghan authorities said 13 of their soldiers were killed along with 55 civilians. One Pakistani soldier remains missing.The casualty figures provided by both Islamabad and Kabul could not be independently verified.Separately, Pakistan said it foiled an infiltration attempt by militants at the Qila Saifullah Sector, with state-run Pakistan Television reporting that multiple attackers were killed.Pakistan launched airstrikes in late February on what it described as “terror targets,” claiming 70 militants were killed.Afghan officials and the United Nations have reported civilian casualties from those strikes, which Pakistan denies.Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated in recent months, with Pakistan accusing militants of operating from Afghan territory — an allegation Kabul rejects — even as diplomatic efforts continue to ease tensions.
