Escalation of Violence on Afghanistan-Pakistan Border: Clashes Erupt Amid Fragile Ceasefire

Sat Dec 06 2025 11:33:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have led to fatalities and displaced residents, as both sides accuse each other of violating a fragile ceasefire. Observers express concern over the escalating tensions.

Violent clashes erupted overnight along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, particularly in Spin Boldak, resulting in at least four fatalities and numerous injuries. Both nations are blaming each other for initiating the violence, which jeopardizes a recently brokered ceasefire. Tensions have remained high following a protracted history of border disputes and accusations of terrorism.

Fresh deadly border clashes have broken out between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban forces, with both sides accusing each other of breaking a fragile ceasefire.

Residents fled the Afghan city of Spin Boldak overnight, which lies along the 1,600-mile (2,574 km) border the two countries share.

A medical source in the nearby city of Kandahar reported that local hospitals received the bodies of four people while three injuries have been reported in Pakistan.

Sporadic fighting has repeatedly occurred between the two nations in recent months, amid accusations from Afghanistan's Taliban government that Pakistan has carried out air strikes within Afghan territory.

Both sides confirmed they exchanged fire overnight but each blamed the other for initiating the four hours of fighting. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accused the Taliban of 'unprovoked firing.'

A statement from Pakistan stressed their forces' readiness to respond to any threat to their territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, the Taliban's spokesperson claimed that it was forced to respond to Pakistan's 'initiated attacks'.

Footage from the area showed a large number of Afghans fleeing on foot and in vehicles, with residents in neighbouring towns leaving in fear of the fighting spreading.

This latest clash occurred less than two months after both sides agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkey, which ended the worst fighting since the Taliban took power in 2021. However, tensions have persisted.

Islamabad has consistently accused Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of harboring armed groups involved in attacks within Pakistan, an allegation the Taliban denies, blaming Pakistan for utilizing others as scapegoats for their own security issues.

Delegations from both sides recently met in Saudi Arabia for further negotiations on a broader peace settlement, though no agreement was reached. Notably, both sides did agree to uphold the ceasefire during these talks.