Post by : Rameen Ariff

The Pakistan-Afghanistan border witnessed a surge in violence late Tuesday night, as clashes erupted between forces, leading to numerous casualties among both military personnel and civilians. In light of the bloodshed, officials from both nations agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire to lessen tensions.

Pakistan's military reported that forces loyal to the Afghan Taliban, supported by local militants, launched targeted attacks on critical border posts in southern and northwestern zones. The Pakistani army asserted they successfully repelled these assaults near Spin Boldak in Kandahar, claiming to have killed approximately 20 Taliban fighters. In an official statement, the military remarked, “The attack was orchestrated through divided villages in the area, disregarding the civilian population.” Additional skirmishes in the northwestern border region reportedly resulted in the deaths of another 30 militants.

Following the onset of hostilities, airstrikes were conducted by Pakistan targeting militant locations in Kabul and Kandahar, as stated by AFP and Reuters. These operations reportedly inflicted damage on Taliban forward posts and a tank, along with the death of a significant Taliban leader affiliated with the Pakistani faction.

Afghan sources reported that clashes resulted in the deaths of at least 15 civilians, with many more injured. In Pakistan, security officials confirmed that six paramilitary troops lost their lives and several others were wounded in the Orakzai district. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned Pakistan for “once again” engaging in assaults with both light and heavy weaponry.

This escalation follows confrontations from the previous weekend, where retaliatory strikes from Afghanistan targeted Pakistani positions after airstrikes conducted by Pakistan on Kabul on October 7. Afghanistan claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, while Pakistan reported 23 fatalities. Additionally, over 200 Taliban and affiliated fighters were reportedly eliminated by counterattacks. These hostilities led to the temporary shutdown of border crossings on October 12.

In response to the initial strikes, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed a decisive reaction. Following the latest violence, the Taliban issued a warning, indicating they possess “other methods to manage the situation if Pakistan refuses to engage in dialogue.” The ceasefire was brokered through mediation by Qatar and Saudi Arabia to avert further escalation.

Local sources from Spin Boldak have confirmed the deaths of 15 civilians, including women and children, due to mortar fire. Abdul Jan Barak, a local hospital official, reported that over 80 women and children suffered injuries during the altercations.

The border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains extremely unstable, with mutual accusations of provocation ongoing. Security forces from both nations are maintaining vigilant observation, as regional stakeholders urge for restraint and open dialogue to avoid another round of violence.

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