KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Nimroz say that as a result of gunfire by Taliban forces toward Pakistani aircraft in the center of the province, one person was killed and another was injured.
According to the sources, the two individuals were inside a vehicle in the city of Zaranj this morning (Monday, April 20) when they were struck by bullets fired by the Taliban. One of them was killed and the other was wounded.
Sources say that Pakistani unmanned aircraft had been patrolling the skies over the province since last night, but Taliban forces opened fire on them this morning.
The Taliban police command in Nimroz has also confirmed that their forces fired at the unmanned aircraft.
In the past two months, amid ongoing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, Pakistani aircraft have repeatedly patrolled Afghan airspace.
The Taliban have fired at these aircraft in various provinces of Afghanistan upon spotting them, which in some cases has resulted in casualties and damage to civilians.
Pakistan and the Taliban, once allies, have clashed repeatedly along the border in recent months after Islamabad accused the Taliban of sheltering members of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) responsible for dozens of deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
The United Nations has verified 289 civilian casualties in Afghanistan from Pakistani attacks between late February and mid-March, including 76 killed and 213 injured. Many of the victims were women and children. Taliban authorities have reported higher figures, saying 761 civilians were killed and 626 injured as of April 4, when clashes were at their peak.
The escalation marks one of the most serious spikes in tensions between the two sides in recent months. The Taliban authorities have accused Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty, while Islamabad has previously said its operations target militant groups it claims operate from Afghan territory.
Meanwhile, the latest violence comes shortly after a week of talks in China, where officials from both sides discussed ways to reduce tensions. The discussions, mediated by Beijing, ended without a breakthrough but included agreements to avoid actions that could further escalate the conflict and to continue dialogue toward a comprehensive solution, according to the Taliban authorities.
Relations between the two neighbors have long been strained over disputes along the Durand Line and Pakistan’s accusations that the Afghan Taliban provides safe haven to anti-Pakistan militants. The renewed fighting has further strained already fragile border stability and disrupted daily life for communities living along the frontier.
