Intensified Clashes Erupt Between Pakistan and Afghanistan Amidst Fragile Ceasefire

Sat Dec 06 2025 23:22:59 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Border hostilities flare again between Pakistan and Taliban forces from Afghanistan, resulting in casualties and mass displacement of residents near Spin Boldak.

Recent clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border have led to multiple casualties and forced the evacuation of residents from Spin Boldak. Both sides accuse each other of violating a fragile ceasefire, with Pakistan's government claiming to respond to 'unprovoked firing' while the Taliban alleged initiation of attacks from Pakistan. Ongoing tensions and sporadic violence continue despite previous agreements aimed at peace.

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 told BBC Pashto that four bodies had been brought to a local hospital. Four other people were wounded. Three were reportedly wounded in Pakistan.

There has been sporadic fighting between the two countries in recent months, while Afghanistan's Taliban government has also accused Pakistan of carrying out air strikes inside the country.

Both sides have confirmed they exchanged fire overnight but each 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. The statement continued: An immediate, befitting & intense response has been given by our armed forces. Pakistan remains fully alert & committed to ensuring its territorial integrity & the safety of our citizens.

Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesperson said Pakistan had once again initiated attacks and said it was forced to respond.

Residents on the Afghan side of the border said the exchange of fire started at around 22:30 (18:00 GMT) on Friday.

Footage from the area showed a large number of Afghans fleeing on foot and in vehicles.

Ali Mohammed Haqmal, head of Kandahar's information department, said Pakistan's forces had attacked with light and heavy artillery and civilian homes had been hit by mortar fire.

The latest clashes came less than two months after both sides agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkey, which ended more than a week of fighting in which dozens were killed - the worst clashes between Pakistan and the Taliban since the group returned to power in 2021 - though tensions have remained high.

The government in Islamabad has long accused Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of giving shelter to armed groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban government denies the accusation and has accused Pakistan of blaming others for their own security failures.

The Pakistan Taliban have carried out at least 600 attacks on Pakistani forces over the past year, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.

Last week delegations from both sides met in Saudi Arabia for a fourth round of negotiations on a wider peace settlement, but did not reach an agreement. Sources familiar with the talks told BBC News that both sides had agreed to continue with the ceasefire.