Tensions Escalate at Pakistan-Afghanistan Border as Both Sides Exchange Heavy Fire

Islamabad – Pakistani and Afghan forces engaged in heavy gunfire along the border on Friday night, with both sides blaming each other for triggering the clash, local media reported.

The confrontation comes amid failed efforts by Saudi Arabia to broker a ceasefire between Kabul and Islamabad. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Afghan caretaker government, said Pakistan launched attacks in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, prompting a response from Afghan forces.

A senior official in Quetta told Dawn that the exchange began around 10 p.m. and continued late into the night. Muhammad Owais, medical superintendent at Chaman district hospital in Pakistan, said three people, including a woman, were injured.

Earlier negotiations mediated by Turkey and Qatar did not lead to an agreement for a long-term truce. The Pakistan-Afghanistan border has seen heavy fighting for over a month, with Pakistan allegedly conducting multiple air raids inside Afghan territory.

Last week, the Taliban condemned Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces, citing civilian casualties, including nine children, and called the attacks a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. Mujahid stated that Afghanistan would respond appropriately, adding that the strikes reflected flawed intelligence and ongoing failures of Pakistan’s military regime.

With inputs from IANS