Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Clash: Iran and Turkey React to Border Incident

Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Clash: Iran and Turkey React to Border Incident

In the early hours of today, Afghanistan launched retaliatory airstrikes inside Pakistani territory in response to Pakistan’s attacks. The targets of these strikes were reported to be military positions in Faisalabad, Nowshera, Jamrud, and Abbottabad. Prior to this, Pakistan had claimed that 133 people were killed and over 200 wounded in the operation carried out by Afghanistan. The Pakistani army also reported the deaths of 2 of its soldiers in the clashes and announced that its attacks on Afghanistan had killed 274 Taliban fighters.

Following these tensions, powerful explosions rocked Kabul in the early hours of today. Although Pakistan has not confirmed responsibility, Afghan sources have reported that the country carried out an airstrike on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.

Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif, the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan, emphasized that they would give a decisive response to any threat and would not compromise on their country’s territorial integrity.

Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, also reviewed the developments in calls with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts, as well as Qatari and Saudi officials.

Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of Iran, while referring to the holy month of Ramadan, stressed the need to resolve issues through dialogue and within the framework of good neighborliness, announcing Tehran’s readiness to assist in this process.

At the international level, the United Nations, China, and Russia called for restraint and dialogue. Malaysia and Britain also expressed concern and called for an end to the clashes.

Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, also asked Pakistan to regulate its relations with Afghanistan based on mutual respect.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in protest over the country’s attacks.