Afghanistan Claims 28 Fighters Killed in Nuristan, Pakistan Rejects Allegations

KABUL/ ISLAMABAD (Terror Monitor) — Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense on Sunday claimed that its security forces killed 28 fighters and detained 32 others during an operation against an armed group that had allegedly crossed into eastern Afghanistan from Pakistan.

The ministry said the group included members of the Islamic State and was composed largely of former security personnel who served under Afghanistan’s previous government.

Afghan authorities alleged that the group had received support from Pakistani security officials and militias and claimed that some former Afghan security personnel had been recruited, trained and sent into Afghanistan from Pakistan.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said the operation took place in eastern Nuristan province after the armed group crossed the border from Pakistan. It did not provide independently verifiable evidence supporting its claims.

The reported death toll, the number of detainees and the identities or affiliations of those involved could not be independently verified by international news organizations.

Pakistan Rejects Afghan Allegations

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting strongly rejected the Afghan allegations, describing them as “baseless and devoid of facts.”

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, the ministry said Pakistan’s security forces and intelligence agencies had no involvement in the reported clashes in Nuristan or anywhere else inside Afghanistan.

Pakistan also rejected allegations that it had recruited or trained former Afghan security personnel or provided assistance to Islamic State or any other militant group operating in Afghanistan.

The ministry said Kabul had provided no credible evidence to substantiate its allegations, including identification documents, communications records, forensic evidence or independent verification linking Pakistani security agencies to the incident.

Pakistan further said that attempts to link the country to internal violence in Afghanistan were unsupported by verifiable evidence.

Growing Tensions Between Kabul and Islamabad

The latest dispute comes amid renewed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border militancy and security.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members to maintain sanctuaries on Afghan soil and launch attacks against Pakistan.

Islamabad has called on Kabul to take action against the TTP and prevent Afghan territory from being used for attacks against Pakistan.

The Taliban government has repeatedly rejected the allegations and denied allowing militant groups to use Afghan territory against neighboring countries.

The dispute has intensified in recent weeks following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.

On September 21, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika and Kunar provinces, with Islamabad claiming that 28 militants were killed. Afghan authorities disputed Pakistan’s account and said civilians were among those killed.

The latest allegations from Nuristan have added another layer to the growing dispute between the two neighboring countries.

Conflicting Claims Over Militants

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry alleged that most of those killed or detained in Nuristan were former Afghan government security personnel and that Islamic State members were also part of the group.

Kabul further alleged that Pakistani intelligence agencies had trained former Afghan security personnel and facilitated their movement into Afghanistan.

Pakistan categorically denied the allegations and said it had neither recruited nor trained former Afghan security personnel for operations inside Afghanistan.

Neither side has presented independently verifiable evidence establishing the full circumstances of the reported clash.

The conflicting accounts come as both countries face continuing security challenges linked to militant groups operating along their shared border.

Nuristan’s Strategic Location

Nuristan is a mountainous province in eastern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. Its difficult terrain and proximity to the border have made parts of the region important in Afghanistan’s broader security environment.

The province has also been affected by the activities of various armed groups over the years, while security forces have conducted operations against militants in remote mountainous areas.

The latest incident highlights the continuing difficulties faced by Kabul and Islamabad in managing their shared border and addressing competing allegations of militant activity.

For now, the claims of 28 fighters killed and 32 others detained remain unverified by independent sources. Both governments have presented sharply different accounts of the incident, with Afghanistan accusing Pakistan of supporting the armed group and Pakistan rejecting any involvement.