Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan break the truce
The border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan witnessed renewed military tensions and exchanges of fire on Friday evening, in a clear violation of the fragile ceasefire recently reached between the two sides. The Taliban government accused Pakistani forces of initiating shelling on residential areas in southern Kandahar province, prompting a military response from the Islamic Emirate forces, according to Afghan officials.
Details of the clashes in Spin Boldak
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced via the "X" platform that Pakistani forces initiated fire on Friday evening in the Spin Boldak border district of Kandahar province. Mujahid asserted that this attack compelled Afghan forces to retaliate in defense of their territory. Ali Mohammad Haqmal, head of the Kandahar provincial media office, explained that the Pakistani side used heavy and light artillery and mortars, damaging several civilian homes in border villages. The fighting ceased following a mutual agreement to de-escalate the situation, though no official casualty figures were released for this particular round of fighting.
Background to the tension and history of the border conflict
These clashes come amid highly tense relations between Kabul and Islamabad, with the border issue known as the Durand Line being one of the most prominent points of historical contention between the two countries. Afghanistan refuses to recognize this line, drawn by British colonialism, as an international border, while Pakistan insists on its legitimacy and has fenced off most of it, a move that constantly provokes Afghan resentment and leads to frequent skirmishes.
Furthermore, Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of providing safe havens for fighters from the banned Pakistani Taliban, who launch attacks inside Pakistani territory—an accusation Kabul vehemently denies. This exchange of accusations has led to a deterioration in diplomatic and security trust between the two neighbors.
The ceasefire and regional mediation efforts failed
It is worth noting that the region witnessed unprecedented and bloody clashes in mid-October, resulting in the deaths of approximately 70 people from both sides. This prompted regional diplomatic intervention, led by Qatar and Turkey, to try to contain the situation. Despite reaching a temporary ceasefire agreement, ongoing violations, such as the incident on Friday and a previous bombing on November 25 that killed civilians, including children, indicate the fragility of the security situation.
These tensions are casting a dark shadow over the economic and humanitarian situation, as the repeated closure of border crossings since October 12 has caused thousands of commercial trucks to pile up and disrupted the movement of travelers and patients, exacerbating the humanitarian suffering in both countries and hitting vital trade in the region.
