Pak–Afghan Border Remains Closed For Second Day After Deadly Clashes

Nader Yarahmadi, head of the Interior Ministry’s Centre for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, said during a meeting in Yazd that “only legal foreign nationals can remain in the country, and illegal foreigners must be deported,” according to the state-run IRIB News Agency.

He said more than 1.41 million undocumented Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran over the past seven months as part of what he described as efforts to “establish order and security.”

Yarahmadi’s comments come amid growing international concern over the mass deportation of Afghan refugees. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said earlier that more than 1.9 million Afghans have been expelled from Iran and Pakistan in the past seven months, calling for an immediate halt to all forced deportations.

Iran hosts one of the largest Afghan refugee populations in the world, with millions having fled decades of conflict, economic hardship and Taliban restrictions in their homeland.

The ministry described the recent cross-border attacks on Pakistan as a coordinated operation involving the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Baloch separatist groups. It referred to the “Taliban regime” a departure from previous official language that had labelled the group as the “interim government” or “government of Afghanistan.”

Islamabad warned that such attacks were intended to destabilise the Pakistan–Afghanistan border and undermine bilateral cooperation. “These actions are inconsistent with the principles of good neighbourly relations,” the statement said.

The ministry also responded to remarks made by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during a press conference in New Delhi, accusing him of attempting to divert attention from the continued presence of “terrorist groups” inside Afghanistan.

During the same press conference, Muttaqi had claimed that “a specific circle” within Pakistan’s military was seeking to damage relations between the two countries and said bilateral ties should not fall victim to its policies.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its concern over the activities of militant organisations operating from Afghan territory, saying it was closely monitoring the situation and warning that “any provocation or further action will be met with a strong response.”

The statement concluded by urging the Taliban to “act responsibly, honour its commitments, and play a constructive role in eradicating terrorism.”

Amid escalating tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, Hekmatyar wrote on X on Sunday that Washington had recently issued similar warnings of possible action if its demands were not met. He linked Pakistan’s latest military operations to recent US statements about a potential return to Bagram Air Base.

Hekmatyar recalled that during the 20-year US presence in Afghanistan, there had been both open and covert cooperation between Islamabad and Washington. He claimed that recent developments suggested a renewed alignment between the two.

Criticising the Taliban’s response to Pakistan’s airstrikes on Kabul, Hekmatyar said Afghans expected a transparent explanation about what had been targeted and the cause of the explosions. He said the Taliban government had also failed to take a clear stance against Pakistan’s attacks or clarify their outcome.

Referring to the recent Taliban–Pakistan border clashes, he called the issue a national concern and urged all Afghan factions to put aside internal divisions and unite in defence of the country.

He argued that mere condemnation or isolated responses would not resolve the crisis and called for a “national consensus” to confront growing external threats. Without unity, Hekmatyar warned, Afghanistan risked once again becoming a battleground for proxy wars involving regional and global powers, including India and Pakistan, Iran and the United States, and the US and its Arab allies against China and Russia.

Without naming anyone, Hekmatyar said those who had “betrayed the nation” or served foreign powers should never be allowed to return to Afghanistan’s political stage.

Pakistani media released footage showing General Munir inspecting frontline positions, though his remarks during the visit were not made public. The visit came amid sharply escalating tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban government.

The Taliban claimed they carried out retaliatory attacks on Pakistani border posts on Saturday night, killing more than 50 Pakistani soldiers. The Pakistan Army, in contrast, said 21 of its soldiers were killed and more than 200 Taliban and allied fighters were eliminated in counter-operations.

Although Taliban officials said their attacks have ceased, Pakistani airstrikes reportedly continue to target areas inside Afghanistan. The Pakistan Army released drone footage purporting to show strikes on Taliban positions and nearby residential areas in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province.

The latest clashes mark one of the most severe escalations along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border in recent years, amid mounting accusations from both sides over cross-border militant activity.

In a statement, the Pakistan Army said Taliban forces launched coordinated attacks from multiple points along the Durand Line targeting Pakistani border positions, prompting “immediate retaliatory action” from Pakistani troops.

According to the army, more than 200 Taliban members and allied fighters, including militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-Khorasan, were killed in the fighting. Several Taliban border posts were hit, and some of their positions were “temporarily captured,” the statement said.

The military added that the operation aimed to “defend Pakistan’s borders and prevent militant infiltration.” It said 29 Pakistani soldiers were wounded in the clashes, and several Taliban bases and compounds were damaged during counterattacks. The army noted that “all necessary measures were taken to avoid civilian casualties,” adding that Pakistani forces remain “on full alert.”

Earlier on Saturday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed, 30 were wounded and 25 Pakistani border posts were captured during the overnight fighting along the Durand Line.

The conflicting casualty figures could not be independently verified. The clashes mark one of the deadliest escalations between the Taliban and Pakistani forces in recent months, amid rising tensions over cross-border militant activity.