Conflicting casualty claims as Islamabad adopts ‘zero tolerance’ policy

KABUL/ISLAMABAD: Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, has claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in attacks on border posts and that 23 bodies are in Taliban custody. According to Mujahid, 13 Taliban members were killed and 22 wounded in the clashes, while 13 civilians were also injured. In response, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the Pakistani military’s public relations wing, said 274 Taliban members had been killed in recent fighting. Pakistani officials had earlier reported that 133 people were killed in overnight strikes, figures the Taliban have rejected. None of the casualty claims has been independently verified. Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, in a meeting with Army Chief Asim Munir, announced a “zero tolerance” policy against what he described as “Fitna al-Khawarij” and actions by the Afghan Taliban. He emphasized that Pakistan is prepared to defend itself against any threat. Local sources have also reported Pakistani airstrikes in parts of Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Laghman, and Paktika provinces. The Taliban have confirmed the strikes but have not provided detailed information regarding casualties.