KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Defense Minister of the Taliban, has said that Pakistan has requested the Taliban to recognize the Durand Line as the official border between the two countries.
During an interview with Tolo News, Mujahid stated that Pakistan had made this request in talks prior to the outbreak of the current conflict. He emphasized that the Durand Line is a longstanding historical issue that neither the current nor past governments have resolved and said it should not be allowed to heighten tensions. He suggested leaving the matter to the people of both countries while concentrating on other pressing issues.
The Durand Line is a 2,640-kilometre (1,640-mile) border established in 1893 between British India and the Afghan Emirate. The line divides the Pashtun tribal areas and has long been a point of dispute. Afghanistan has historically refused to recognize it as an official international border, considering it a colonial imposition.
Pakistan regards it as the de facto boundary. The disagreement over the Durand Line has fueled tensions and cross-border conflicts for more than a century.
Mujahid denied that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was operating from Afghan soil and stated that Afghanistan would not allow its territory to be used against Pakistan, while insisting Pakistan also prevent attacks from its soil into Afghanistan.
Commenting on the ongoing clashes, Mujahid cautioned that any insecurity in Kabul would also affect Islamabad. He warned against the notion that attacks in Kabul could occur without repercussions, stressing that disturbances in Afghanistan would have consequences for Pakistan as well.
He added that if Pakistan prolongs the conflict for ten years, the Taliban are prepared to continue fighting for the same duration.
Mujahid emphasized that the Taliban have always sought to resolve disputes through dialogue and understanding, but Pakistan has not adhered to agreements or principles. He said the Taliban demand respect for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and the separation of economic issues from political and security matters.
The current conflict between the Taliban and Pakistan has lasted for over a week. It began after Taliban retaliatory attacks on Pakistani border posts. Prior to these Taliban attacks, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in the eastern Afghan provinces of Paktika Province and Nangarhar Province. The Taliban condemned these strikes as violations of Afghan territory and sovereignty, reporting civilian casualties, including 17 deaths in Nangarhar, among them 11 children.
Following the Taliban’s response, the Pakistani army launched its military operation Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting various provinces in Afghanistan with air and rocket strikes. Taliban attacks on Pakistani border posts have continued, and the group has reported several air raids against Pakistani territory.
According to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Pakistani attacks on Afghanistan have so far left 185 civilians killed or wounded and displaced around 20,000 families.
This conflict highlights long-standing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan over border issues, historic disputes, and cross-border security, with the Durand Line dispute remaining a key historical flashpoint in bilateral relations.
