Afghan Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan’s defense ministry said on Saturday, days after Pakistani aircraft carried out aerial bombardment inside Afghanistan.

Taliban officials described the strikes as retaliation for Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory earlier this week, which allegedly targeted hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi clarified the location of the strikes, stating, "We do not consider it to be the territory of Pakistan, therefore, we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line.

This comes after Pakistan's bombardment 'targeting hideouts of Islamist militants' earlier this week, which Taliban claimed killed civilians.

It is the first public admission by a senior Taliban leader regarding the presence of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan operatives in the country

At least one Pakistani soldier has died during clashes with Afghan Taliban forces amidst heightened tensions along the de-facto border, a source in Islamabad said Saturday (Dec 28). The clashes took place overnight as militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) tried entering Pakistan near Kurram and North Waziristan points,