How Taliban And Pakistan's Militaries Stack Up Against Each Other

Fresh tensions between Afghanistan's Taliban government and Pakistan continue to brew, with both sides reporting heavy casualties in fierce cross-border clashes over the last week or so.

A Taliban spokesperson on Sunday claimed Afghan forces killed at least 58 Pakistani soldiers and wounded over 30 in retaliatory strikes near the Durand Line's Behrampur district, warning Islamabad that "no attack will go unanswered". They also accused it of sheltering ISIS terrorists.

According to the Taliban, Afghan forces targeted multiple Pakistani military posts across several border provinces, including Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, and Kunar, all regions adjacent to Pakistan.

Pakistan's military disputed the Taliban's figures, claiming that it killed over 200 Afghan fighters in what it described as "defensive action" to repel cross-border attacks.

A look at the military strengths of Pakistan and Taliban

Pakistan has a large, professional army of around six to seven lakh soldiers. It includes modern special forces like the Special Service Group (SSG), supported by strong command, logistics, airpower, heavy equipment, and intelligence. The military also has long-range weapons and naval forces.

Since 2021, the Taliban has moved from being an insurgent group to running Afghanistan and taking control of its security forces. Their total numbers remain unclear, but observers say they are a much smaller and less organised group than a national army. Their elite units are visible and well-trained but limited in size.

Special units

Taliban elite formations

Badri-313 - This is an elite Taliban commando unit. They handle high-profile security tasks such as guarding airports and the presidential palace, and carry out raids. Their equipment, mostly captured from the Afghan army or US forces (M4 rifles, Humvees, helmets, night-vision goggles, light armour), allows them to carry out short-range, high-impact operations but not the full range of missions a professional special forces unit can.

Red Unit - These were the Taliban's best-trained assault teams during the insurgency. They are small, usually the size of a squad or battalion, and use guerrilla and commando-style tactics rather than conventional military methods.

Pakistan special forces

SSG (Army) - Pakistan's main army special forces. They have several battalions, including counter-terror teams like Zarrar. They are trained for air, sea, and mountain missions and have strong logistics and support for longer operations.

Navy SSG & Air Force units - These add capabilities for sea and air missions. Together, Pakistan's special forces can carry out complex operations in different environments, much more than the Taliban can.

Training

Taliban elite units - They get focused combat and assault training, sometimes from Haqqani-linked trainers. But their training is less developed, shorter, and lacks the experience and international exposure of professional forces.

Pakistan Special Operations Forces (SOF) - They have formal training programmes, special schools, and years of career development. They also train with other countries. This creates small units that can operate in many environments.

Equipment

Taliban - Mostly use captured Afghan army or US gear (M4 rifles, body armour, Humvees, night-vision goggles). This helps in short-range operations but they lack full logistics, air support, and precision weapons.

Pakistan SOF - Have modern weapons, sniper rifles, missiles, helicopters, and full intelligence support. This lets them carry out a wider range of missions, like long-range attacks, reconnaissance, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism.

Vulnerabilities 

Taliban - Their logistics and equipment support are weak. Elite units can lose effectiveness due to casualties or internal disputes. They have few external training partnerships, and they lack airpower and long-range precision weapons.

Pakistan SOF - They are highly capable, but face challenges like political limits, internal security pressures, and difficult terrain along borders.