Fresh clashes erupt at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border near Spin Boldak despite ongoing peace talks in Turkey; both sides trade accusations. Photo: X.
The Afghanistan-Pakistan border is hot again. The escalation has renewed after Pakistani forces allegedly opened fire into Afghan territory on Thursday, even as official delegations from both countries were engaged in peace negotiations in Turkey to stabilise their fragile ceasefire.
Local reports quoting sources said that Taliban and Pakistani troops exchanged fire in the border town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province late Thursday. The skirmish began at approximately 5 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. CET) and, according to eyewitnesses, involved both light and heavy weaponry.
Residents said heavy artillery was fired from the Pakistani side, and gunfire was heard across the border. The exchange unfolded despite a recently brokered truce aimed at preventing further confrontations.
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The border clash occurred just hours after high-level delegations from Kabul and Islamabad held the third round of negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey. The discussions, facilitated by Qatar and Turkey, were intended to de-escalate weeks of heightened tension and military buildup along the frontier.
The Spin Boldak–Chaman crossing, a key trade and transit route, has faced repeated shutdowns and armed clashes in recent months. Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated sharply amid Pakistani claims that the Taliban government is sheltering Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, who Islamabad says are responsible for attacks inside its territory.
The Taliban leadership has rejected these accusations.
Afghan officials said Pakistan’s forces used “light and heavy weapons” and intentionally fired at civilian areas.
“Pakistan used light and heavy weapons and targeted civilian areas,” an Afghan military official told AFP.
The official added that the Taliban had not retaliated, saying they refrained “out of respect for the ongoing negotiations.”
Islamabad maintains that Kabul is providing sanctuary to groups threatening Pakistan’s internal security. The Taliban government, however, argues Pakistan is attempting to shift responsibility for security failures within its borders.
Kabul, for its part, has accused Pakistan of harbouring and supporting an ISIS offshoot responsible for deadly attacks inside Afghanistan. Afghan officials say this reflects what they describe as Pakistan’s long-standing strategy of using militant groups to influence regional dynamics.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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