SECURITY — March 27, 2026
Taliban Deputy Army Chief Visits Paktika Border Areas, Rejects Pakistani Advance Claims
Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense rejected claims of Pakistani advances in Paktika as baseless after Deputy Chief of Staff Mali Khan Sediq visited border areas to confirm full Afghan control. Some Afghan officials reported incursions and related incidents in Paktika and Nuristan.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Pajhwok — corroborated by RTA and Afghanistan International — 2 min read
KABUL (Afghan Verified) -- Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense has dismissed reports of Pakistani advances in Paktika province as baseless, following a visit by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Mali Khan Sediq to the border areas.
The ministry released a video showing Sediq inspecting Terwah district in Paktika, where he affirmed that the area remains fully under Afghan control. Officials described the circulating reports of Pakistani captures as false and misleading propaganda.
The visit occurred amid claims by Afghan officials of Pakistani incursions. Enayatullah Tofan alleged that Pakistan had captured parts of Afghan territory in Paktika and distributed Pakistani identity cards to locals, according to Afghanistan International. Separately, Faridun Samim, a Taliban spokesman in Nuristan, reported Pakistani forces attacking vehicles en route to Kamdesh and Barg-i-Matal districts, resulting in road closures.
Pajhwok Afghan News reported the ministry's rejection without mentioning the Nuristan incidents or Tofan's specific allegations. Both outlets confirmed the ministry's commitment to defending Afghanistan's territorial integrity and stated that no Afghan soil would be ceded.
The Defense Ministry emphasized its resolve to protect borders, with Sediq's inspection underscoring operational readiness in the disputed areas.
Read the original reporting at Pajhwok →
Reliability assessment
Corroborated by 3 outlets (Pajhwok, RTA, Afghanistan International). Direct attribution to named official Mali Khan Sediq (Deputy Chief of General Staff) with video evidence of border visit released by Ministry of Defense confirming Afghan control and rejecting Pakistani advance claims.
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
Where reports agree
- Taliban MoD rejects Pakistani advance/capture claims in Paktika as baseless
- Deputy Chief of Staff visited the disputed Paktika/Terwah area confirming Afghan control
- MoD reaffirms commitment to territorial integrity
Where reports differ
- Specific date of MoD statement/video (Saturday 7th Hamal vs Friday)
- Precise location details (Paktika border areas vs Terwah district)
- Nuristan attacks mentioned only in Afghanistan International
- Tofan's specific claims about ID cards only in Afghanistan International
Filed by 3 outlets
Pajhwok
Originating
Reported straight
Reported straight
RTA
Framed
Framed
Afghanistan International
Reported straight
Reported straight
Filed under
Security — Taliban, Paktika, Pakistan, Mali Khan Sediq, Terwah
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