Pakistan and Taliban Forces Exchange Fire in Border Clashes
Spin Boldak, Afghanistan – Fresh clashes erupted overnight between Pakistani and Taliban forces along thier shared border, with both sides accusing the other of initiating the fighting and violating a recent ceasefire. Residents of the Afghan city of Spin Boldak fled as violence broke out along the 1,600-mile (2,574 km) frontier.
A medical source in Kandahar reported that a local hospital received the bodies of four people. Pakistan reported three injuries. The exchange of fire lasted approximately four hours.
Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accused the Taliban of ”unprovoked firing,” stating, “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.”
A Taliban spokesperson countered that Pakistan had “once again initiated attacks” and that their forces were compelled to respond.
The clashes come less than two months after Pakistan and the Taliban agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, ending the most significant fighting between the two since the Taliban regained power in 2021. Despite the ceasefire,tensions have remained high.
Islamabad has consistently accused the Taliban government of harboring armed groups responsible for attacks within Pakistan. The Taliban government denies these allegations, accusing Pakistan of attempting to deflect blame for “their own security failures.”
Delegations from both countries met in Saudi Arabia last week for a fourth round of peace negotiations, but failed to reach a complete agreement. Sources involved in the talks indicated both sides agreed to maintain the existing ceasefire.Sporadic fighting has occurred repeatedly in recent months, with the Taliban also alleging Pakistani airstrikes within Afghanistan.
