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The '''2024 Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes''' were a series of armed clashes consisting of cross-border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between [[Afghanistan]], its allied insurgents and [[Pakistan]], at many locations along the [[Durand line]], including [[North Waziristan]], [[South Waziristan]], [[Wanna, Pakistan|Wana]], [[Dera Ismail Khan]], [[Shangla]], [[Khost]], and [[Paktika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/19/cousins-at-war-pakistan-afghan-ties-strained-after-cross-border-attacks|title=Cousins at war Pakistan Afghan ties strained after cross border attacks|date=19 March 2024|access-date=19 March 2024|publisher=Al Jazeera|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319142145/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/19/cousins-at-war-pakistan-afghan-ties-strained-after-cross-border-attacks|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequent attacks were also launched in [[Turbat]] and [[Gwadar]] in [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan province]], by the [[Balochistan Liberation Army]]. Militant attacks on [[China-Pakistan Economic Corridor|CPEC]] and |
The '''2024 Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes''' were a series of armed clashes consisting of cross-border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between [[Afghanistan]], its allied insurgents and [[Pakistan]], at many locations along the [[Durand line]], including [[North Waziristan]], [[South Waziristan]], [[Wanna, Pakistan|Wana]], [[Dera Ismail Khan]], [[Shangla]], [[Khost]], and [[Paktika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/19/cousins-at-war-pakistan-afghan-ties-strained-after-cross-border-attacks|title=Cousins at war Pakistan Afghan ties strained after cross border attacks|date=19 March 2024|access-date=19 March 2024|publisher=Al Jazeera|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319142145/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/19/cousins-at-war-pakistan-afghan-ties-strained-after-cross-border-attacks|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequent attacks were also launched in [[Turbat]] and [[Gwadar]] in [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan province]], by the [[Balochistan Liberation Army]]. Militant attacks on [[China-Pakistan Economic Corridor|CPEC]] and Pakistani military bases accomadatijg US aircraft pose a threat to Chinese and American interests in Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |date=2024-04-02 |title=Pak naval base housing US and Chinese aircrafts attacked by militants |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/world-news/pak-naval-base-housing-chinese-u-s-aircraft-attacked-by-baloch-militants-5-killed-watch-101711442471495.html |work=Hindustan times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Attack in Pakistan's Gwadar strikes near heart of China's interests |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Attack-in-Pakistan-s-Gwadar-strikes-near-heart-of-China-s-interests |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Abdul |first=Basit |date=March 29, 2024 |title=Surge in Attacks on Chinese Nationals, Projects Amid Pakistan's Dire Security Situation |url=https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/surge-in-attacks-on-chinese-nationals-projects-amid-pakistans-dire-security-situation/ |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=The Diplomat |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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These skirmishes mark the second round of air strikes by Pakistan on the sovereign soil of [[Afghanistan]] in a period less than two years. The first similar [[2022 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan|Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan]] soil came in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan's Twin Taliban Problem |url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/05/pakistans-twin-taliban-problem |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=United States Institute of Peace |language=en}}</ref> |
These skirmishes mark the second round of air strikes by Pakistan on the sovereign soil of [[Afghanistan]] in a period less than two years. The first similar [[2022 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan|Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan]] soil came in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan's Twin Taliban Problem |url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/05/pakistans-twin-taliban-problem |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=United States Institute of Peace |language=en}}</ref> |
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| 2024 Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Afghanistan-Pakistan skirmishes – Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Insurgency in Balochistan | |||||||
 The Durand Line (Red line) border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 BLA (alleged)[1] |
 Pakistan | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Bashir Zeb |
 Asif Ali Zardari Shehbaz Sharif General Asim Munir Zaheer Ahmad Babar Adm. Naveed Ashraf | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
| |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
Total: 41-62 Pakistani airstrikes: 11 TTP militants killed (Pakistani claim) 10 TTP militants injured (Pakistani claim) Border clashes: 1 Afghan army soldier killed Subsequent militant attacks: 14 BLA militants killed 26 TTP-affiliated militants killed |
Total: 20
Border clashes: 3 Pakistani soldiers wounded 6 Policemen wounded | ||||||
|
Border clashes: 8 Afghan civilians killed (Afghan claim) 4 Pakistani civilians injured Subsequent militant attacks: 5 Chinese civilians killed 13 Pakistani civilians killed 32 Pakistani civilians wounded | |||||||
The 2024 Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes were a series of armed clashes consisting of cross-border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between Afghanistan, its allied insurgents and Pakistan, at many locations along the Durand line, including North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Wana, Dera Ismail Khan, Shangla, Khost, and Paktika.[5] Subsequent attacks were also launched in Turbat and GwadarinBalochistan province, by the Balochistan Liberation Army. Militant attacks on CPEC and Pakistani military bases accomadatijg US aircraft pose a threat to Chinese and American interests in Pakistan.[6][7][8]
These skirmishes mark the second round of air strikes by Pakistan on the sovereign soil of Afghanistan in a period less than two years. The first similar Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil came in 2022.[9]
While Pakistan has been accused of supporting the Afghan Taliban in the past, after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Afghanistan and Pakistan have repeatedly broken out border conflicts.[10] The Pakistani government accuses the Afghan Taliban authorities of harboring the Pakistani Taliban rebels in its growing insurgency.[11]
On 16 March 2024, militants detonated a truck bomb and fired at Pakistani soldiers at a border checkpost. Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in the truck bombing, and two more were killed in the firing. Six attackers were also killed, according to Pakistan Army, who stated that the attackers used Afghanistan as a base for the attack. A militant group known as Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad took responsibility for the attack; Pakistani officials believe the members to be part of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).[12][13] Afghanistan led by the Taliban denied that the perpetrators were from their territory.[14] On 17 March 2024, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari vowed strong retaliation against perpetrators of the attack.[15]
On 18 March 2024, in response to the attack from Afghanistan, Pakistan Air Force carried out two intelligence based airstrikes on Afghanistan's eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika. The Afghan government claim that Pakistan killed five women and three children.[16] Pakistan denies this, claiming that it killed terrorists instead while targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur militant group, a splinter organization of the Pakistani Taliban, and that it had successfully killed Sehra alias Janan, a high-value target commander. Another commander, Abdullah Mehsud, was claimed to have been killed, but later released a video refuting the claim. It was also reported that Mehsud's house was targeted in which his wife and a minor son was killed. Pakistan went on to blame the Pakistani Taliban and its splinter militias for the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani civilians, and claimed that they used Afghanistan as a base and that they had support from within the Taliban.[17][18]
In response to the airstrikes, the Afghan Defense Ministry stated it was targeting numerous Pakistani positions across the border.[14] Mortar firing from the Afghan side injured more than four civilians and three military personnel in Kurram District.[19] A Pakistani captain was also killed and 2 other soldiers injured by the shelling.[20] Taliban officials did not disclose their losses, however, the local Afghans report death of a soldier of the Afghan army in the clashes.
Armed clashes were reported in the mountainous areas surrounding the Angoor Adda border crossing of Lower South Waziristan but no reports of damages were received.[21] Local sources reported that in Wanna the shells landed near the bunkers of both sides but no casualties were reported.[21]
On March 20, separatist militants belonging to Balochistan Liberation Army attacked the Gwadar port complex. The attack failed due to the rapid response of the Pakistani security forces. The clash killed eight BLA militants and two Pakistani soldiers. The Chief Minister of Balochistan claimed that the BLA attackers came from Afghanistan and were provided shelter by the Afghan government.[22]
On 22 March, a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a military convoy passing through Dera Ismail Khan; this attack resulted in the death of two Pakistani soldiers and wounding of 15 others.[23] In response to this attack Pakistan vowed a strong retaliation against terrorism.[24]
On 25 March, Balochistan Liberation Army's Majeed Brigade attacked Pakistan's second largest Naval Base PNS Siddique in Turbat which houses American as well as Chinese made aircrafts.[25] This attack was foiled by Pakistani Security forces.[26] In this attack, 6 BLA militants were killed by the Frontier Corps outside the perimeter of the base while one Pakistani soldier was killed.[27]
On 26 March, the Pakistani military raided a militant hideout in Dera Ismail Khan. In the ensuing battle, 4 militants were killed. Ammunition cache and weapons were then seized by Pakistani forces.[28]
On 26 March 2024, in Shangla District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a suicide bomber attacked a bus transporting five Chinese laborers and their Pakistani driver on their way to the Dasu Dam, killing all of them.[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] Pakistan police detained more than 12 people, including some Afghan nationals. But the Taliban government in Afghanistan has repeatedly denied giving safe haven to militants.[37]
On 30 March 2024, one person was killed and 14 others, including three soldiers, were injured in a bomb attack in Harnai District, Balochistan.[38]
On 6 April Eight militants were killed during clashes with the army in Dera Ismail Khan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[39] Similarly Two police officers are killed and two others are injured after their vehicle is ambushed in a gun attack by the Pakistani TalibaninLakki Marwat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one police officer is killed in a roadside bombing in Bajaur District.[39]
In separate incidents, clashes ensued in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on 7 April. Security forces had clashes with militants in the Kot Sultan area, and had successfully killed eight militants, before capturing cache and ammunition.[40] However, in different incidents on the same day, bombings and gunfights had taken the lives of both policemen and militants, resulting in a total of six policemen and twelve militants dead.[40]
Two people are killed and five others, including two police officers, were injured in a motorcycle bombing in Khuzdar, Balochistan.[41]
A police officer was killed and six others were injured in a grenade attack on a mosque near Quetta.[42]
On 12 April, Militants set up a roadblock near Nushki, Balochistan, and attacked two approaching vehicles including a bus, killing 11 people and injuring six.[43]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
