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Security forces kill several Afghan Taliban fighters in retaliatory action along Balochistan border: sources

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News Desk. (2026, September 24). Security forces kill several Afghan Taliban fighters in retaliatory action along Balochistan border: sources. Dawn. https://www.dawn.com/news/2032389/security-forces-kill-several-afghan-taliban-fighters-in-retaliatory-action-along-balochistan-border-sources

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Dawn · collected 2026-09-24 · by News Desk

Quick Summary

Pakistani troops killed several Afghan Taliban fighters in retaliatory action after the Taliban attempted to enter Pakistani territory near Balochistan’s Gulistan sector on Thursday. According to state media APP, this followed an unprovoked act of aggression by the Taliban and subsequent attacks on border posts. Pakistan also reported conducting precision strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan earlier that day, targeting drone launches from Afghan soil into Pakistan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated these actions are part of Pakistan's ongoing counter-terrorism campaign called "Ghazab lil Haq."
Written by AI on 2026-09-24, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Pakistani forces launched airstrikes and engaged in border clashes with Afghan Taliban fighters, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 Taliban personnel, according to Pakistan's information ministry. This follows Pakistani claims that drones launched from Afghanistan violated its airspace on September 24, prompting retaliatory strikes in Afghan territory. The Afghan government denies these actions and accuses Pakistan of state involvement in an armed incursion near Nuristan province, where it says its forces killed 28 fighters and wounded 32. Both sides have accused each other of harboring terrorist groups that attack their territories, with tensions escalating along the Pakistan-Afghan border in Balochistan.

Written for “Border Clashes Between Pakistan Afgha…” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Border Clashes Between Pakistan Afgha…
Politics · 10 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 7% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
The Hindu
Hedges 2 of 19 claims Outlet record 60/100
Toronto Star
Hedges 1 of 4 claims Outlet record 64/100
Dawn
⚖️ Leans right Hedges 2 of 22 claims Outlet record 72/100
“The articles describe different events occurring on different dates with distinct details, involving separate groups (Fitna-al-Hindustan vs. Afghan Taliban) and purposes (rescue operation vs. retaliatory action).”
Dawn
Hedges 1 of 17 claims Outlet record 72/100
“The articles describe different events; one is about Pakistan's stance on dialogue with the Taliban, while the other reports a military retaliation along the border involving casualties.”
Toronto Star
Hedges 2 of 3 claims Outlet record 64/100
“The articles describe two separate military operations in Balochistan, with different dates and distinct objectives (rescuing hostages vs. retaliatory action along the border).”
Times of India
Hedges 4 of 19 claims Outlet record 59/100
“The articles describe different military incidents involving Pakistan and Afghanistan at distinct times and locations, with one being an airstrike in Kunar province and the other a border skirmish in Balochistan.”
The Hindu
Hedges 1 of 12 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles describe different events with distinct dates and locations, involving Pakistani airstrikes versus retaliatory action along the border in Balochistan.”
Dawn
Hedges 5 of 20 claims Outlet record 72/100
“The articles describe different operations on separate days against distinct groups (Fitna al Hindustan vs Afghan Taliban) in different locations.”
Dangerous border Same event
Dawn
⚖️ Leans right Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 72/100
Dawn
⚖️ Leans strongly right Hedges 5 of 32 claims Outlet record 72/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
30
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
7%
2 of 30 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
72/100
Dawn's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
10
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-24 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Dawn · 2491 article(s) · 3 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 3 correction(s)

Who wrote this

News Desk
329 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 He began by saying that Pakistan and Singapore enjoyed longstanding and friendly ties focused on mutual respect and goodwill, and Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognise Singapore following its independence in 1965.
🔮 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday affirmed that Pakistan and Turkiye would continue to push for dialogue and diplomacy while strengthening their defences under the Makkah Defence Agreement.
🔮 “The situation could have deteriorated as far as the Yemen issue is concerned […] There has been some talk and peace may emerge in the coming days or week as far as Saudi Arabia versus Yemen [sic] is concerned.”
🔮 “The situation could have deteriorated as far as the Yemen issue is concerned […] There has been some talk and peace may emerge in the coming days or week as far as Saudi Arabia versus Yemen (sic) is concerned.”
🔮 “The situation could have deteriorated as far as the Yemen issue is concerned […] There has been some talk and peace may emerge in the coming days or week as far as Saudi Arabia versus Yemen (sic) is concerned.”
🔮 Earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the incident, asserting that Pakistan would “never tolerate” attacks on its people or violations of its sovereignty.
🔮 It added that another geared vessel, MV GREAT RAINBOW, carrying 599,000 metric tonnes of wheat, was expected to arrive on Nov 3.
2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Consignment of imported wheat arrives at Karachi port
🔮 Their defence ties drew international attention during the May 2025 conflict between Pakistan and India, when Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets.
🔮 “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area,” the statement read, adding that a relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision “Azm e Istehkam” will continue at full pace to “wipe out [the] menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”.
🔮 “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area,” the statement read, adding that a relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision “Azm e Istehkam” will continue at full pace to “wipe out [the] menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”.
Wire or desk byline, not an individual reporter.
Also by News Desk
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 329 articles by News Desk →

Topics

Afghan Afghanistan Pakistan Pakistani the Afghan Taliban

Subjects

Pakistan GPE · 14× Afghanistan GPE · 8× Afghan NORP · 5× the Afghan Taliban ORG · 4× Balochistan GPE · 3× Pakistani NORP · 3× Taliban ORG · 3× APP ORG · 2× Kohat GPE · 2× Kurram GPE · 2×

Narrative

On the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq against terrorist hideouts. Pakistan also carried out strikes in the border region with Afghanistan in late June, with the government saying they were in response to a wave of terrorist attacks, including one on a Rangers camp in Karachi.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-24
🔮 Last week, Pakistan also told the UN Security Council that it would respond to terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan in self-defence as and when needed and in accordance with international law.

Claims (30 extracted, 2 hedged)

Pakistani troops responded to an act of aggression along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan and killed several Afghan Taliban on Thursday, state media reported, citing sources. asserted
media → respond → sources
State-run APP reported, citing sources, that the Afghan Taliban attempted to enter the Pakistani territory in Balochistan’s Gulistan sector and carry out an act of aggression. asserted
Taliban → report → aggression
Meanwhile, officials also reported attacks on some border posts in Pakistan. asserted
officials → report → Pakistan
The APP report said in retaliatory action, several Afghan Taliban fighters were killed. asserted
fighters → say → action
Intermittent exchange of fire between security forces and Afghan Taliban was ongoing after midnight, according the sources cited in the report. asserted
exchange → accord → report
Pakistan conducted precision aerial and drone strikes in 10 locations across Afghanistan in retaliation for drones launched from the neighbouring country a day earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in the early hours of Thursday. asserted
Tarar → conduct → Thursday
Pakistan’s response came after eight drones, launched from Afghanistan, entered Pakistani airspace near the Torkham border and Kohat on Wednesday. asserted
drones → come → Wednesday
Security sources said they were subsequently shot down. asserted
they → say → ?
It was also reported that the Afghan Taliban engaged in unprovoked firing the night before near Kurram as security forces foiled an attempt by terrorists to cross into Pakistan. asserted
forces → report → Pakistan
On Sept 21, Pakistan, in response to recent terrorist attacks in KP, conducted “calibrated” airstrikes in the border region with Afghanistan against terrorist hideouts and safe havens of terrorist organisations. asserted
Pakistan → conduct → organisations
A statement from the information ministry on Monday said that over 28 terrorists were eliminated in the strikes. asserted
terrorists → say → strikes
“It is a matter of grave concern that Afghanistan continues to remain a hub of terrorism,” the ministry said at the time, specifying that the “threat to Pakistan emanates from Afghanistan”. asserted
threat → continue → Afghanistan
The airstrikes had come after a major attack in the old Police Lines in KP’s Kohat claimed 23 lives and injured about 100 others. asserted
attack → come → others
Eight terrorists were killed during an overnight clearance operation launched to clear the area. asserted
terrorists → kill → area
Ghazab lil-Haq Tarar described Pakistan’s action as part of its ongoing counter-terrorism campaign, Ghazab lil Haq. asserted
Tarar → describe → campaign
On the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq against terrorist hideouts. Pakistan also carried out strikes in the border region with Afghanistan in late June, with the government saying they were in response to a wave of terrorist attacks, including one on a Rangers camp in Karachi. asserted
they → follow → Karachi
At the time, Tarar said that 25 terrorists were killed in those strikes in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar. asserted
terrorists → say → Paktia
Pakistan had carried out similar strikes on terrorist hideouts along its border with Afghanistan earlier that month, killing 26 terrorists. asserted
Pakistan → carry → terrorists
In July, security forces responded to unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban at border posts in Kurram, security sources had said. asserted
sources → respond → Kurram
In the same month, the Afghan Taliban regime launched four rudimentary drones across the border into Balochistan, which were shot down by security forces. asserted
which → launch → forces
Two drones were also shot down in June in Qila Abdullah and Chagai districts. asserted
drones → shoot → districts
As clashes continue, tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have remained high. asserted
tensions → continue → Islamabad
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP, that are used for attacks in Pakistan. asserted
that → urge → Pakistan
Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded. asserted
appeals → say → ?
Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addressed a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where he called for steps towards concrete and verifiable action to prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorism against any neighbouring country, particularly Pakistan. asserted
he → address → country
Dar said Pakistan was “seriously concerned” about the presence of over two dozen terrorist groups in Afghanistan that threatened regional and international peace and security. asserted
that → say → peace
Last week, Pakistan also told the UN Security Council that it would respond to terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan in self-defence as and when needed and in accordance with international law. asserted
it → tell → law
Earlier this month, the Foreign Office (FO) declared that meaningful progress in relations with Kabul would depend on the Taliban taking concrete and verifiable action against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. asserted
Taliban → declare → territory
It maintained that while Islamabad welcomed China’s continuing engagement, the external facilitation could not substitute for action by Kabul against terrorist infrastructure. uncertain
facilitation → maintain → infrastructure
According to a UN Security Council-mandated monitoring report — covering the period from December 16, 2025 to June 9, 2026 — Afghan Taliban’s continued support for TTP has contributed to a rise in the frequency and lethality of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, even as Kabul has taken some initial steps to rein in the group. The report also pointed to growing operational and facilitation linkages among the TTP, Al Qaeda, Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIL-K) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). uncertain
report → accord → TTP
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