JNS: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply, with reports indicating that around 15,000 Taliban fighters are marching toward the Pakistani border. This comes in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, which targeted alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts but resulted in significant civilian casualties.
The airstrikes have sparked outrage from the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which has condemned the attacks as “barbaric” and an act of “clear aggression,” vowing retaliation.
Pakistan’s longstanding support of militant groups, including the Taliban, has backfired, creating a dual challenge for the country. The Afghan Taliban, now in power in Kabul, has become openly hostile towards Pakistan. At the same time, the TTP, a key ally of the Afghan Taliban, has intensified attacks on Pakistani forces.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, with fatalities rising by 56% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies.
Over 1,500 people, including 500 security personnel, have been killed in these attacks. The TTP’s increased aggression reflects the Afghan Taliban’s success in establishing an Islamic emirate, further complicating Pakistan’s security situation.
Recent incidents, such as the killing of 16 Pakistani soldiers at a checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, underscore the escalating threat. Pakistan’s relationship with the Afghan Taliban has soured over allegations of cross-border terrorism and the Kabul government’s failure to control the TTP. Measures by Islamabad, including trade restrictions, mass expulsions of Afghan migrants, and stricter visa policies, have strained bilateral ties.
The reported mobilization of Taliban fighters from Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat toward the Mir Ali border in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province marks a serious escalation in tensions, signaling a growing hostility between the two nations despite their historical ties.
