Pakistani troops attacked the Afghan Taliban throughout their shared frontier on Sept. 26, triggering new fighting in the region. Reports from IRIB News indicate intense combat has broken out specifically along the Durand line, marking a sharp increase in hostility between Islamabad and Kabul after weeks of rising tensions.

The fighting follows Pakistani air raids on Sept. 23 and 24 that hit 10 sites in Kandahar, Paktika, and Khost. The Taliban says 4 civilians died in the raids, which Pakistan described as a response to drone incursions launched from Afghanistan. Islamabad has also attributed the Sept. 18 Kohat mosque bombing to TTP militants it claims are sheltered within Afghan borders.