Escalating Tensions: Deadly Clashes Erupt at Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

Sun Dec 07 2025 02:02:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Violence reignites between Pakistan and Afghanistan as border clashes expand, leading to civilian casualties and fears of further escalation.

Recent clashes at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have resulted in civilian casualties, with both sides blaming each other for initiating the violence. The fighting reflects ongoing tensions despite a recent ceasefire agreement.

Border clashes have erupted again between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban forces, with each side accusing the other of breaking a fragile ceasefire.

Residents fled the Afghan city of Spin Boldak overnight, which lies along the 1,600-mile (2,600 km) border between the two countries.

A medical worker in the nearby city of Kandahar reported that four bodies had been brought to a local hospital, with four others wounded—three reported to be injured in Pakistan.

Both sides confirmed exchanging fire overnight but blamed the other for initiating the four hours of fighting. Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accused the Taliban of unprovoked firing. Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesperson claimed Pakistan had once again initiated attacks and stated that Afghanistan was forced to respond.

Residents on the Afghan side stated the exchange of fire started around 22:30 (18:00 GMT) on Friday, leading to many Afghans fleeing in vehicles and on foot. Ali Mohammed Haqmal, head of Kandahar's information department, confirmed that Pakistani forces attacked with both light and heavy artillery, damaging civilian homes.

This latest round of clashes follows a ceasefire agreement mediated by Qatar and Turkey just two months prior, which had ended over a week of fighting that resulted in numerous casualties—the most severe clashes between Pakistan and the Taliban since the group regained power in 2021.

Despite reducing hostilities temporarily, tensions have remained high. The Pakistani government has long accused Afghanistan's Taliban of sheltering armed groups that conduct operations against Pakistan, while the Taliban denies these allegations, accusing Pakistan of misunderstanding its own security challenges. Recently, there have been over 600 attacks on Pakistani forces attributed to the Pakistan Taliban.

Around the same time, delegations from both sides were meeting in Saudi Arabia for peace negotiations, yet no agreements were reached, although they reportedly confirmed ongoing commitment to the ceasefire.