Pakistan has confirmed the armed attack announced shortly beforehand by the Taliban regime and warned that it will face an «immediate and effective» military response following the offensive that, according to Kabul, resulted in the capture of live Pakistani soldiers and the control of 15 border posts.
«The Taliban regime miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire in numerous places (…) their forces are being punished in the sectors of Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur,» reported the Government of Pakistan in a brief statement.
Pakistani security sources informed EFE that their troops have launched a massive counterattack to repel the «unprovoked aggression» of the Taliban, who hours earlier had announced the capture of 15 military posts and several live Pakistani soldiers.
«The forces of the Taliban regime are being punished in the sectors of Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and Bajaur,» stated official sources, assuring that the response has already destroyed several posts and equipment on the Afghan side.
The confirmation from Islamabad comes after a series of coordinated night-time attacks by the Taliban.
Kabul's main spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that their elite units have managed to penetrate territory controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for previous bombings.
«Many soldiers have died and several of them have been captured alive,» assured Mujahid, a claim that Pakistani security sources describe as a «miscalculation» by the Afghan regime.
According to military sources in Islamabad, the precision counterattack has managed to destroy Taliban hideouts in sectors such as Arandu and Tirah Khyber, forcing the fighters, whom Pakistan calls «Khawarij» (renegades), to flee.
«Security forces are giving an appropriate response to the aggression with all their might,» these sources emphasized, confirming that the situation has led to clashes along the Durand Line, the de facto border between the two countries.
This confrontation is the culmination of a week of tension, which began with Pakistani bombings last weekend that, according to Kabul, caused civilian deaths, which Islamabad justifies as operations against cross-border terrorism.
With today's counterattack, Pakistan warned that it will «take all necessary measures» to protect its territorial integrity.
