Will Taliban "Respond Appropriately": Is a Border Escalation Imminent?

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan reported that Pakistani air strikes killed at least 10 civilians, including nine children and one woman, in the eastern border province of Khost overnight on Monday, November 25, 2025. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the attacks as a “barbaric violation” of Afghan sovereignty, stating that “invading forces” bombed a civilian house in the Lakan area near the Durand Line. Additional strikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces injured four more people. Mujahid warned that the Islamic Emirate “will respond appropriately at the right time,” raising fears of a sharp escalation between the two neighbours.

The strikes appear to be retaliation for a suicide bombing on Monday morning at the Frontier Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, Pakistan, which killed three officers and wounded 11. Pakistani officials described the attackers as Afghan nationals and blamed the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad insists operates from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters on Tuesday that evidence, including a detained suspect’s confession, proved “clear collaboration” between the Afghan Taliban and TTP, adding that the suicide bomber himself was an Afghan resident.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have steadily deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan regime of sheltering TTP militants responsible for a surge in attacks that have claimed over 900 lives in Pakistan this year alone. Afghanistan rejects the charges and insists Pakistan hosts anti-Taliban groups, including Islamic State-Khorasan Province cells, that target Afghan territory. The latest violence follows deadly border clashes in October that killed around 70 people on both sides before a fragile ceasefire was brokered by Qatar and Turkey.

Also Read: Viral Video Shows Mob Assaulting Couple, Torching Car During Reckless Meet-Up in Malba

Trade and transit have already taken a severe hit. The Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported thousands of shipping containers stranded at border crossings, accruing $150–$200 in daily demurrage fees and threatening the livelihoods of traders on both sides. Bilateral trade, worth more than $2.5 billion annually, faces further disruption as tensions mount.

Taliban forces have been placed on high alert along the 2,640-km Durand Line, with reinforcements observed near key crossings such as Torkham and Ghulam Khan. Pakistani military sources confirmed increased air patrols but declined to comment officially on the strikes. Residents in affected Afghan villages spent Tuesday digging graves and clearing rubble, while local officials demanded international condemnation of what they called “indiscriminate aggression.”

As both sides trade accusations and brace for possible retaliation, diplomatic channels remain silent, with no immediate plans for talks. The United Nations and regional powers, including China, have urged restraint, warning that further escalation could destabilize an already volatile region still recovering from decades of conflict.

Also Read: Siddaramaiah Acknowledges Confusion as Karnataka Congress Faces Leadership Challenge