Pakistan and Afghanistan each report killing dozens of militants in separate operations

Pakistan and Afghanistan have each reported killing dozens of militants in separate operations, according to a report from Anadolu Agency, as the two neighboring countries continue to trade accusations over cross-border militancy.

Afghan authorities reported that 28 militants were killed in Nuristan province, while Pakistani officials said 71 militants were killed in operations in Balochistan province. The two reports were issued separately and pertain to different locations along the broader Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier region.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained in recent years, with Pakistan repeatedly accusing Afghanistan's Taliban administration of failing to rein in militant groups that carry out attacks on Pakistani soil from Afghan territory. Afghan authorities have in turn pushed back against such accusations.

Nuristan and Balochistan have both seen periodic militant activity, with security forces on both sides of the border conducting operations against armed groups operating in mountainous and border areas that are difficult to fully secure.

Ongoing cross-border tensions

The dual claims of large numbers of militants killed underscore the continued volatility along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where security operations and mutual accusations between the two governments have become a recurring feature of the relationship.