Pak-Afghan clashes: Heavy fighting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leaves senior commander dead; Taliban posts damaged

Pakistani troops engaged in heavy fighting with Afghan Taliban fighters on Tuesday night along the Kurram district border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The clashes came after the Taliban and militants linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, called Fitna al-Khawarij by authorities, reportedly opened fire without warning.PTV News said several Taliban posts were heavily damaged, including at least one tank, and fighters fled their positions. Later reports added that additional posts and tank positions, including Shamsadar post, were destroyed, and a senior Fitna al-Khawarij commander was killed.Earlier, Pakistan’s foreign secretary Amna Baloch briefed resident ambassadors in Islamabad, stressing “Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and its unwavering resolve to protect its territorial integrity and national security.”Over the weekend, Taliban forces allegedly attacked Pakistani border posts, killing 23 troops. Islamabad responded, claiming more than 200 Taliban and allied militants were killed. Kabul called the strike “retaliatory,” accusing Pakistan of air raids inside Afghan territory last week, which Pakistan has denied.