Tushar Ranjan Mohanty
On May 14, 2024, terrorists from Afghanistan attempted to infiltrate into Pakistan and attacked a Pakistani checkpoint in the Tehri Mangal area along the Pakistan border, killing at least 12 terrorists and one army soldier. killed and five other security forces (SF) personnel injured. – Kularam district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Afghanistan border. The attack was carried out using heavy weapons and targeted security facilities within a 10km radius.
Two border observation posts of Bajaur Scouts in Bajaur district of KP inside Afghanistan came under militant rocket attack on May 14, 2024. Pakistani forces retaliated against the attack but no losses were reported.
On May 13, 2024, two militants were killed and an unidentified number of militants were killed when Pakistani forces thwarted an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the Kaga Pass area along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Mahmund. A number of other militants were injured. tehsil (income unit) in Bajaur district.
On April 17, 2024, seven terrorists were killed while trying to enter the Spinkhai area of Ghulam Khan. tehsil Located in North Waziristan district of KP, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border (income unit). “The infiltrators were surrounded and effectively engaged, and after a fierce firefight, all seven terrorists were sent to hell. A large amount of arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered,” the US military spokesperson said. (ISPR) said. The terrorists were identified as being associated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. An anonymous “spokesman” for the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group confirmed that seven militants belong to the group. Jaish-ul-Umari Suicide squads were also killed, and the other side also claimed unspecified casualties.
On March 9, 2024, two terrorists were killed and three others injured in a gunfight with SF when a group of five terrorists attempted to infiltrate along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan district. “After a fierce gunfight, two terrorists Hazrat Umer and Rehman Niaz were also sent to hell while three other terrorists were injured,” said an ISPR press release.
According to partial data compiled by South Asia Terrorism Portal According to the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Security Force (SATP), seven violent attacks by cross-border militants (including the six mentioned above) have been reported this year (data up to May 19, 2024). 24 people have been killed in Pakistan (23 terrorists and 1 SF personnel). During the same period in 2023, three similar incidents were reported, resulting in eight deaths (all SF personnel) and one personnel injury. Six more similar incidents were reported for the remainder of 2023, resulting in 27 deaths (18 terrorists and 9 SF personnel) and 50 injuries (40 terrorists and 10 SF personnel). In 2022, 17 similar incidents were reported with 40 deaths (31 SF personnel, 7 civilians, and 2 terrorists). In 2021, 12 similar incidents occurred, resulting in 19 deaths (16 SF personnel and 3 militants). In 2020, seven similar incidents occurred, resulting in the deaths of 11 people (10 SF personnel and 1 militant). In 2019, seven more similar incidents occurred, resulting in 22 deaths (20 SF personnel and 2 militants).
Meanwhile, on May 16, 2024, tensions escalated with heavy cross-border firing in Dandeh-Pattan Kallachi area of Kurram district along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. “Heavy weapons and ammunition were used by both sides,” said an anonymous Pakistani security official in the region, adding, “However, no loss of life was reported on the Pakistani side.” The Afghan Taliban government also did not comment on Afghan casualties.
Prior to this, on May 11, 2024, at least four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) A militant was killed and several others injured in an airstrike by the Pakistani military at an unspecified location in Afghanistan, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and adjacent to KP’s Waziristan district. An anonymous TTP official confirmed the attack and declared that “a team has been dispatched to pinpoint the exact location, kill the militants and their affiliates and ascertain the exact number of casualties.” We are waiting for their report. ”
Prior to that, on March 18, 2024, Pakistan conducted an “intelligence-based counter-terrorism operation” within the border area of Afghanistan, killing eight people. A press release from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the main targets of the morning operation were terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which along with the TTP has been involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Pakistan. As a result, “hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officers died.”
In response to the Pakistani attack, the Afghan interim government carried out multiple retaliatory attacks on security facilities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Parachinar area of Kularam district, KP, killing one army captain and killing two army personnel. Name was injured. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying it responded to the Pakistani attack and targeted Pakistani military centers with heavy weapons. “Pakistani troops and reconnaissance aircraft have once again entered Afghan territory and shelled civilian homes in Barmar in Paktika and Spera in Khost,” the statement declared.
Instability on the Afghanistan-Pak border has increased since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul, disappointing Islamabad’s hopes that the situation would improve. In fact, on May 10, 2024, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani, noted that since the Afghan Taliban occupied Kabul, there has been a significant increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan that originate from Afghanistan. He expressed his regret.
“It was previously hoped that the arrival of the Taliban would improve the security situation on the Pak-Afghan border, but unfortunately attacks from Afghanistan have increased by 60% in the past two years,” Durrani said.
Earlier, on March 6, 2024, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram stated that in response to border incidents, Pakistan’s military had declared “cross-border attacks on the country’s border posts and facilities by the TTP and its affiliates.” ”. “We hope that the United Nations will call on the Afghan interim government to prevent such cross-border attacks and incursions into Pakistani territory by the TTP and other terrorists.”
On March 20, 2024, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asserted that cross-border attacks continue and warned that Pakistan will no longer tolerate such incidents within its borders.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban are blaming Pakistan. On May 8, 2024, Afghan Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi denied Pakistan’s claims that Afghan soil is being used against Islamabad by the TTP, saying that sometimes Pakistani soil is used against Afghanistan. and claimed that Islamic State elements had invaded Afghanistan. From there. Khwarazmi added: “There are also cases of ISIS attacks.” [Islamic State] Militants have entered Afghanistan from Pakistan and are using Pakistani soil against our territory. Pakistan has to answer this. ”
Although Pakistan continues to claim irrevocable sovereignty over all territory up to the Durand Line, no Afghan government recognizes its legitimacy and the conflict over the Durand Line remains irresolvable. looks like. As the Taliban regime further consolidates its hold in Afghanistan, tensions along the Durand Line will only intensify.
- Tushar Ranjan Mohanty
Researcher, Institute of Conflict Management
