An overnight exchange of fire between Afghan and Pakistani forces has resulted in the deaths of five Afghan civilians and injuries to five more. The clashes, which erupted along the tense border near the Afghan city of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province, also left three civilians wounded on the Pakistani side, according to officials from both nations. Each side has attributed blame to the other for inciting the violence, which occurred in violation of a fragile ceasefire that had lasted for two months.
The casualties on the Afghan side included three children and one woman, as reported by Ali Mohammad Haqmal, head of information for the Spin Boldak District. Meanwhile, Pakistani police and a hospital official in the city of Chaman, identified as Mohammad Awais, confirmed that three individuals, including a woman, sustained injuries due to gunfire and shelling purportedly originating from Afghanistan. The clashes persisted until dawn on Saturday.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have risen sharply since October 2023, following deadly border skirmishes that resulted in numerous fatalities, including soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants, with hundreds more injured. Violence escalated after explosions in Kabul on October 9, which the Taliban government attributed to Pakistan and vowed to retaliate against. This period of fighting has marked one of the most severe confrontations between the two countries in recent years.
Although a Qatar-mediated ceasefire began in October and has mostly held, peace talks have yet to yield a comprehensive agreement. Pakistan has faced several militant attacks within its borders, which authorities attribute largely to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group closely allied with the Afghan Taliban. Many TTP fighters are believed to have found refuge in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, further complicating the relationship between the two nations.
The latest exchange of fire on Friday night coincided with Pakistan’s announcement that it would permit the United Nations to deliver relief supplies into Afghanistan through the Chaman and Torkham border crossings. These crossings had been largely closed for nearly two months due to escalating tensions.
In a separate development, Pakistan’s military confirmed on Saturday that its security forces carried out two intelligence-based operations in the northwestern districts of Tank and Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulting in the deaths of nine TTP militants. This operation underscores the ongoing security challenges that Pakistan faces from militant groups operating within and along its borders.
