Afghanistan–Pakistan clashes: What we know so far

Here’s what we know about the clashes

When did the clashes begin?

The clashes erupted overnight on Tuesday in the remote area spanning southeastern Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district and Pakistan’s Chaman district. At least 170 people have been injured and 40 are dead.

What triggered the clashes?

The clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border coincided with Taliban administration’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India this week, which became the first such trip by a senior Taliban official since the group seized power in 2021.

During the visit, India announced plans to reopen its embassy in Kabul, calling Muttaqi’s trip “an important step in advancing ties and affirming the enduring friendship” between the two countries.

When was the ceasefire announced?

Following the border clashes between the two sides, Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire beginning Wednesday evening at 6 pm local time, Islamabad announced.

In a statement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said both countries had committed to using dialogue to find a “positive solution” to what it described as a “complex yet resolvable issue.” There was no immediate confirmation on the matter from the Taliban government.

What is the situation after the ceasefire?

Pakistan’s military carried out strikes in southeastern Afghanistan on Friday, just hours after a two-day ceasefire between the neighbouring countries expired, an Afghan police official said.

The bombings struck southeastern Paktika province and two other areas close to the Pakistan border, including a strike on a civilian house in Khanadar village that resulted in casualties, police spokesman Mohammadullah Amini Mawia said.

The strikes came hours after Pakistani officials said that a suicide car bomber backed by the Pakistani Taliban attacked a compound of security forces near the border, killing several people in the area. The attack in Mir Ali, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also triggered an intense shootout that left at least six militants and one soldier dead, police said.

The Pakistani Taliban is considered a terrorist organisation by Pakistani officials. It is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban but affiliated with it, and Pakistani officials accuse it of operating from bases across the border.

How have other countries reacted?

Amid the tensions, reactions have poured in from other countries. China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have all urged restraint and dialogue. Qatar warned of “potential repercussions for regional stability,” while Saudi Arabia called for “restraint and dialogue.” China said it “sincerely hopes both countries will focus on the bigger picture,” and Russia stressed a diplomatic resolution.

US President Donald Trump also offered to mediate, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “I hear there’s a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I’m good at solving wars, I’m good at making peace.”

(With inputs from AP)