Over 8,000 Afghan families displaced as fighting escalates along the Pakistan border, with air strikes hitting Kabul and Bagram.

KABUL: More than 8,000 Afghan families have been forced from their homes by recent fighting with Pakistani forces along the border.

The Taliban government’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat (pic), announced the displacement figure at a news conference.

“Due to these brutal bombings and attacks, 8,400 of our families have been displaced, forced to leave their villages and homes,” he said.

Clashes have continued since Thursday when Afghanistan launched a border offensive in retaliation for earlier Pakistani air strikes.

Islamabad has responded with further border attacks and fresh air strikes on multiple sites.

Targets have included the former US air base at Bagram, the capital Kabul, and the southern city of Kandahar.

The Afghan defence ministry acknowledged the Bagram strikes for the first time.

“Yes, the enemy targeted Bagram as well, but there were no casualties or damage,” said defence ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi.

Pakistani security sources said strikes at Bagram aimed to disrupt the supply of equipment to Afghan forces.

They stated Pakistan reserves the right to respond to Taliban “aggression” by striking “legitimate targets”.

Pakistani fighter jets also conducted nighttime sorties over Kabul, a security source confirmed.

The confirmation came hours after AFP journalists in the city heard multiple explosions and anti-aircraft fire.

An AFP journalist in Jalalabad also reported hearing explosions and weapons fire.

Fighting was ongoing at the Torkham border crossing near Jalalabad.

The Afghan government says at least 39 civilians have been killed since Thursday.

This includes three children killed in Kunar province, which Fitrat called a “crime”.

Pakistan has not commented on the civilian casualty toll.

The UN children’s charity said it was “alarmed” by reports of child casualties.

It called on all sides to “exercise maximum restraint, protect civilian lives”.

Pakistan says its initial February air strikes targeted militants it accuses Afghanistan of harbouring.

The Taliban government rejects these accusations.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said it was “never too late to talk”.

He warned, however, that “We will finish this menace.”

The Afghan defence ministry claims more than 25 of its soldiers have been killed.

It estimates Pakistani troop fatalities at around 150.

Pakistan claims more than 430 Afghan soldiers have been killed and over 630 wounded.

These casualty claims are difficult to verify independently.

The recent violence is the worst since October fighting killed more than 70 people.

Land borders between the neighbours have been largely shut since that time.

 The Sun Malaysia