Taliban say 28 of their forces killed in clashes with Pakistan

At least 28 Taliban forces have been killed and 42 wounded since border clashes with Pakistan began on Feb. 26, the Taliban defense ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Enayat Khwarazmi told a news conference that the figures covered the six days of fighting along the frontier. Pakistan has put the Taliban death toll at more than 350, a claim that could not be independently verified.

Khwarazmi also asserted that at least 150 Pakistani military personnel had been killed and more than 200 wounded since the start of the clashes. He provided no evidence for the claim.

In the past 24 hours alone, he said, 25 border clashes had taken place in Kandahar, Kunar, Khost, Paktia, Paktika and Nuristan provinces. He described the Taliban’s actions as retaliatory and defensive.

During that period, four Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 Pakistani military outposts were destroyed, he said.

Since Feb. 26, Taliban forces have captured more than 40 Pakistani outposts, according to the spokesman. He also claimed that three drones over Nangarhar, Parwan and Logar provinces, as well as two reconnaissance drones, had been shot down.

Khwarazmi confirmed that Pakistan had carried out an airstrike on Bagram Air Base but said the attack had not caused “significant” damage. He did not provide details about possible casualties or the extent of the damage.