Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their shared border late Friday, officials from both countries confirmed, amid heightened tensions following unsuccessful peace talks earlier this week. No immediate casualties were reported. Both sides blamed each other for initiating the hostilities. Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistani forces attacked the Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province, prompting a “necessary response” from the Islamic Emirate’s troops. Pakistan denied the allegation, stating that the exchange was triggered by unprovoked firing from the Afghan side. In a statement on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi said Taliban forces opened “unprovoked fire” at the Chaman border, to which the Pakistan Army responded swiftly and effectively. “Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens,” Zaidi added, emphasizing the country’s preparedness to safeguard its borders. The clashes occurred just two days after a fresh round of peace talks between the two nations ended without a breakthrough, though both sides had agreed to maintain the fragile ceasefire. Footage from the area showed residents fleeing as the clashes intensified, and images revealed damage to the Bab-e-Dosti border gate, a key crossing connecting the two countries. Earlier, senior representatives from Pakistan and the Taliban government met in Saudi Arabia, reaffirming their commitment to upholding the ceasefire despite ongoing tensions. No major breakthrough had been reported from the talks. Earlier, two rounds of negotiations held in Istanbul also ended without progress, with each side blaming the other for the failure. For more than 50 days, cross-border movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan has remained suspended, and trade routes have been virtually closed — causing significant economic losses on both sides. Pakistan is currently allowing only Afghan nationals to return, while all other activities remain halted.
