Afghan Taliban and Pakistani troops exchanged brief gunfire along the border, each blaming the other for the flare-up. The clash occurred just as peace talks began to create a lasting framework to avoid future confrontations.
At least five people were killed and six others injured in cross-border fire between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday, even as both sides met in Istanbul for a new round of peace negotiations to prevent further bloodshed, AFP reported.
The attack occurred near the Spin Boldak border crossing in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province. According to a hospital official quoted by AFP, the victims included four women and one man.
“While the third round of negotiations with the Pakistani side has begun in Istanbul, unfortunately, this afternoon Pakistani forces once again opened fire on Spin Boldak,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
“The Islamic Emirate’s forces, out of respect for the negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties, have so far shown no reaction,” he added on X.
Pakistan rejected the accusation, blaming Afghan forces instead. “We strongly reject claims circulated by the Afghan side,” Pakistan’s Information Ministry said on X. “Firing was initiated from the Afghan side, to which our security forces responded immediately in a measured and responsible manner,” he added.
CEASEFIRE UNDER STRAIN
The violence comes as the two neighbours continue to accuse each other of undermining a fragile truce agreed on October 15. The ceasefire was brokered after deadly clashes earlier in the month.
Security issues lie at the heart of the dispute. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who have been responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government denies the charge, saying it does not control the group’s activities.
The October clashes were among the deadliest since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Pakistan claimed that at least 206 Afghan Taliban and 110 TTP operatives were killed, while Islamabad lost 23 soldiers.
An Afghan military source told AFP that Pakistani forces “used light and heavy weapons and targeted civilian areas.” Ali Mohammed Haqmal, head of Kandahar’s information department, said the exchange of fire was brief, lasting around 10 to 15 minutes.
Pakistan later confirmed that calm had been restored. “The situation was brought under control due to responsible action by Pakistani forces and the ceasefire remains intact,” the information ministry said.
TALKS IN ISTANBUL TO DEFUSE CRISIS
According to Reuters, for the peace talks in Istanbul, being facilitated jointly by Turkiye and Qatar, Pakistan’s delegation is led by Lt Gen Asim Malik, director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and national security adviser, along with senior officials from the military, intelligence agencies, and the Foreign Office.
The Afghan Taliban’s delegation includes intelligence chief Abdul Haq Waseq, Deputy Interior Minister Rehmatullah Najib, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, Qahar Balkhi, Zakir Jalali, and Afghanistan’s charg d’affaires in Ankara.
The talks are expected to last two days. A joint statement from the Turkish foreign ministry following the previous round of talks stated that “all parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire” and “to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose a penalty on the violating party”.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said earlier this week that Islamabad was pursuing a “one-point agenda” in talks with Afghanistan to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against Pakistan.
With inputs from agencies
