Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their border late on Friday, officials from both sides said.
The flare-up comes days after peace talks ended without a breakthrough. No casualties have been immediately confirmed.
Key points
- Both sides exchanged fire late Friday
- Each accuses the other of launching unprovoked attacks
- No casualties were immediately reported
- The exchange came after talks in Saudi Arabia failed to produce progress
- October clashes were among the deadliest since the Taliban takeover
What do we know about the border clashes?
Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani forces attacked positions in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province on Friday night, prompting a response from Afghan units.
A spokesman for Pakistan’s prime minister said Afghan forces opened “unprovoked firing” along the border in Chaman.
Residents on the Afghan side said the exchange began around 10:30 p.m. and continued for about two hours. Afghan officials said light and heavy artillery was used and that mortar rounds struck civilian homes.
What led to the renewed exchange?
The border fire came two days after talks between the two countries ended without progress, although delegates from both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The meeting in Saudi Arabia followed earlier rounds in Qatar and Turkey aimed at easing tensions following deadly border clashes in October.
Islamabad says Afghan-based militants, including factions of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), have carried out recent attacks in Pakistan.
Kabul denies responsibility and says it cannot be held accountable for security incidents inside Pakistan.
Deadly border clashes in October killed dozens, marking the worst violence along the frontier since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Last month, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of airstrikes that killed 10 people, nine of them children. Pakistan has denied the allegation.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
