It is crucial for our analysis to distinguish the Afghan Taliban from the Pakistani Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two movements are linked but do not recognize the 1893 border between British India and Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban are considered a terrorist organization in Pakistan, while the Afghan Taliban operate in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kabul denies any connection with the Pakistani Taliban, viewing terrorism as a Pakistani problem. For decades, Pakistan’s military leadership has nurtured and harbored Taliban jihadist groups as a tool of regional policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, recently the same forces have turned against nationalists at home. Pakistan accuses the Afghan government of allowing militants to find sanctuary on its soil after terrorist attacks, such as the September 2, 2025 attack on a nationalist rally in Quetta, which killed at least 14 people and injured more than 30. In response, Pakistan has deported tens of thousands of Afghans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Geopolitical Benefits and Pitfalls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pakistan enjoys China\u2019s protection, while Afghanistan and India are strengthening their relations. A day before the escalation, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India, with the two countries announcing the restoration of diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Muttaqi publicly declared that Kashmir belongs to India, which further fueled tensions with Pakistan. On Sunday, October 12, the situation calmed down, with Kabul announcing a suspension of attacks at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The latter, despite a recent military agreement with Pakistan, refused to participate in military actions against Afghanistan, calling on the parties to normalize their relations. The conflict seems more frivolous and symbolic, probably aimed at inflaming tensions between India and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nepal, strategically located between the two giants, has already suffered destabilization. A wider conflict would allow the United States to strengthen its influence in the Asia-Pacific region, while also thwarting plans by Russia, Iran, and India for a North-South transport corridor through Pakistan and Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The situation remains fragile, with regional interests and global powers moving in a complex geopolitical landscape, leaving Pakistan and Afghanistan at the center of a dangerous military chessboard.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hundreds Dead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, dozens of Pakistani and Afghan soldiers were killed in border clashes that took place on October 11 and 12, bringing the two countries close to war. The escalation began on October 9, when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of attacks on the capital, Kabul, and a market in Paktika province. The attacks reportedly targeted senior members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, including the group\u2019s leader Noor Wali Mehsud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Islamabad had previously called on the Taliban to take action against the TTP, which has increased attacks in Pakistan, claiming that its forces operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul, for its part, denied that the group was active on its soil. Each side claimed to have inflicted significantly more casualties on the opposing side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A video released by the Pakistani military on October 12 shows a series of attacks on Taliban positions. The Afghan Ministry of Defense also released footage showing drone strikes on Pakistani military positions along the border. Pakistan said it had killed more than 200 Afghan Taliban and their allies, while Afghanistan said it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, the Pakistani military acknowledged that 23 of its soldiers had been killed in the fighting. The Taliban said only nine of their soldiers had been killed. Pakistan has closed two major border crossings with Afghanistan due to the clashes, at Torkham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and at Chaman in Balochistan province, in addition to three smaller crossings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan. Despite the escalation, Pakistan\u2019s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on October 12, calling for dialogue and diplomacy with Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan highly values \u200b\u200bdialogue and diplomacy and a mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan,\u201d the statement said, adding that the fight against terrorism is a \u201ccommon cause.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, it is noted that Pakistan is \u201cclosely\u201d monitoring the situation and will take all possible measures to protect its territory and the lives of its citizens. A few weeks before the escalation, President Donald Trump had threatened the Taliban with \u201cbad things\u201d if they did not return the strategic Bagram airbase to the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/image-73.png\")
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