Taliban Seize Pakistani Border Post as Clashes Escalate Along Durand Line

DID Press: Local authorities in Khost Province say Taliban forces captured a Pakistani military outpost near Zazi Maidan District during the ongoing operation known as “Rad al-Zolm” along the disputed Durand Line.

According to provincial spokesman Mustaghfar Gurbaz, the post fell to Taliban control after several hours of fighting, forcing Pakistani troops to withdraw from the position.

The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in border tensions between Taliban forces and the Pakistan Army in recent weeks. Independent sources in the border areas report exchanges of fire at multiple points along the Durand Line, with Pakistan allegedly using heavy artillery in some locations. Taliban forces have responded by targeting Pakistani border positions, describing their actions as “reciprocal retaliation.”

The recent clashes intensified after Islamabad accused the Taliban government in Kabul of harboring militant groups opposed to the Pakistani state—an allegation the Taliban deny, claiming Pakistan is fueling border tensions to divert attention from its domestic challenges. Pakistani officials, however, insist that the country’s national security is under threat and that the military has the “right to respond.”

Analysts warn that the continuing escalation could trigger a new cycle of border conflict, threatening stability in tribal regions and placing further strain on already fragile relations between Kabul and Islamabad.