The conflict-prone Afghanistan and Pakistan border heated up again on Friday (5/12) evening. Fierce exchanges of fire occurred again between the military forces of the two countries, after the failure of peace talks earlier this week.
Reported by AFP and Reuters, Saturday (6/12/2025), in the clashes, Kabul and Islamabad accused each other of carrying out “unprovoked” attacks. The spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Pakistani troops launched an attack in the Spin Boldak district, Kandahar Province.
“It is very unfortunate that, tonight, Pakistan started attacking Afghanistan in Kandahar, Spin Boldak district, and the Islamic Emirates troops (the name for Afghanistan under the Taliban-ed) were forced to respond,” said Mujahid in his statement on Friday (5/12) evening.
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Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Pakistani Prime Minister’s (PM) office, Mosharraf Zaidi, accused Afghan troops of firing “unprovoked fire” along the Chaman border.
“Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens,” Zaidi stressed in his statement.
In the latest statement on Saturday (6/12) morning, Pakistani authorities again accused Afghanistan of being the party who started the latest clashes.
“A few moments ago, the Afghan Taliban regime opened fire for no reason (along the border),” Zaidi said in a statement via X’s social media.
“A rapid, precise and intense response has been provided by our armed forces,” he added.
A number of residents on the Afghan side of the border told AFP that the firefight occurred on Friday (5/12) evening, at around 22.30 local time, and lasted for about two hours.
In a separate statement, the head of Kandahar’s information department in Afghanistan, Ali Mohammed Haqmal, told AFP that Pakistani forces attacked with “light and heavy artillery”, with mortar fire hitting civilian homes.
“The clashes have ended, both parties have agreed to stop,” he said.
The latest clashes came two days after the latest round of peace talks between the two countries ended without a breakthrough, although Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to continue a fragile ceasefire.
The ceasefire was agreed with mediation by Qatar and Türkiye, after fierce fighting last October killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds of others.
4 Civilians and 1 Soldier Killed
The latest clashes on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, which were marked by fierce gunfire, resulted in casualties. Kabul authorities reported that at least five people were killed, while Islamabad authorities said several residents were injured.
A number of Afghan officials, as reported by AFP, Saturday (6/12/2025), reported that at least four civilians and one soldier were killed in the latest clashes that occurred on the border on Friday (5/12) evening local time.
Afghan government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said in a video statement that five other civilians had been injured.
In a separate statement, local hospital authorities in Chaman, a Pakistani border town, said three people suffered minor injuries as a result of the clashes.
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(kny/jbr)
