Pakistan Taliban border fighting leaves casualty reports at odds

Heavy fighting between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters broke out near Angoor Adda in Pakistan’s South Waziristan and Afghanistan’s Paktika province, with both sides reportedly using heavy weapons. Reports differed on how the clash began: one cited a Taliban missile attack on Pakistani positions, while another said firing from Afghanistan targeted Pakistani posts and nearby homes before Pakistani forces returned fire. One account reported more than 13 casualties on the Pakistani side, while another said a local resident was killed and five family members were injured by a mortar shell; other reports said casualty details were not yet available. Some residents reportedly fled the area, underscoring the risks to civilians as tensions along the border continue.