Pakistan and Afghanistan experienced another round of deadly border violence early Saturday, with both sides accusing the other of launching “unprovoked” attacks. Officials in both countries confirmed that firing broke out in the Chaman–Spin Boldak region, an area that has seen repeated clashes in recent months.
According to the report, residents near the Afghan border said the exchange of gunfire started around 10:30 p.m. (1800 GMT) and continued for nearly two hours. The latest confrontation highlights how fragile the October ceasefire remains, even after several mediation rounds led by Qatar and Türkiye.
Casualties Reported as Overnight Firing Intensifies
A medical official in Kandahar said a local hospital received the bodies of four people killed in the violence. Pakistan also reported that three of its citizens were injured during the firing. These incidents add to months of sporadic skirmishes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters along the 2,600-km frontier.
Both governments confirmed that the exchange of fire lasted close to four hours. However, each side maintains that the other was responsible for starting the clash.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, accused the Taliban of “unprovoked firing.” He stated, “An immediate, befitting & intense response has been given by our armed forces. Pakistan remains fully alert & committed to ensuring its territorial integrity & the safety our citizens.”
In turn, a Taliban spokesperson said Pakistan had “once again initiated attacks,” insisting that its forces only retaliated after being targeted.
Ceasefire Strained as Accusations Continue
The renewed hostilities come less than two months after Qatar and Turkey helped both nations reach a temporary ceasefire. That agreement ended the worst escalation since the Taliban took power in 2021. Yet, the relationship between Islamabad and Kabul has remained bitter.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of allowing militants to use Afghan territory to carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban has rejected these claims, arguing that Pakistan is blaming its “own security failures” on others.
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