Afghan officials say 15 civilians killed in Pakistan border clashes

Fifteen civilians were killed and dozens wounded in fresh clashes on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Afghan officials told AFP on Wednesday.

Violence between the two neighbours has flared since explosions in Afghanistan last week, including two in the capital Kabul, that were blamed on Pakistan.

In retaliation, the Taliban government launched an offensive along parts of its southern border, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response of its own.

Dozens of casualties were then reported by both sides over the weekend, and the deadly clashes resumed at dawn on Wednesday.

Ali Mohammad Haqmal, spokesman for the local information department in the Spin Boldak region, said 15 civilians were killed by mortar fire.

The death toll was confirmed to AFP by Abdul Jan Barak, an official at the Spin Boldak district hospital, who said more than 80 women and children had been wounded.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistani forces of "once again" carrying out attacks "with light and heavy weapons" in the district.

Mujahid said in a statement that 12 civilians were killed and 100 others injured. The statement did not mention any casualties among security forces.

But it did say calm had returned to the area after Pakistani soldiers were killed and posts and weapons seized.

Pakistan did not immediately comment, but security sources said they had targeted Afghan positions from Kurram district, further north than Spin Boldak.

Surge in attacks

The renewed violence comes as tensions, fuelled by security issues, flare between the neighbouring countries.

Islamabad has accused Afghanistan of harbouring armed groups led by the Pakistani Taliban Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), a claim Kabul denies.

Last Thursday, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said in parliament that several attempts to convince the Afghan Taliban to stop supporting the TTP had failed.

Islamabad accuses the TTP -- which was combat-trained in Afghanistan and claims to share the ideology of the Taliban there -- of killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021.

Last week's explosions in Afghanistan -- still unclaimed -- took place while the Taliban's top diplomat was making a previously unprecedented visit to Pakistan's arch-rival India.

Clashes erupted on Saturday evening when Kabul launched an operation in at least five provinces along the border.

The Taliban government said it attacked Pakistani security forces in "retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul".

Islamabad vowed a forceful response on Sunday, and dozens of casualties were reported on both sides.