Pakistan seized 19 Afghan military posts and “terrorist hideouts” in response to what it termed “unprovoked” attacks by Afghan forces in the border areas, security sources said on Sunday, while Kabul claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others injured during the retaliatory operations.

The Taliban-led government’s Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks early Sunday, saying that its forces had conducted “retaliatory and successful operations”. “If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s borders and will deliver a strong response,” the ministry said.