A ceasefire along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border remained intact on Thursday, according to officials from both sides, after deadly cross-border clashes claimed the lives of numerous troops and civilians.
In Spin Boldak, an area heavily impacted by recent conflicts on the Afghan side, an AFP journalist observed shops reopening and locals returning to their homes after fleeing the violence.
The 48-hour truce aims to provide a window for “a positive resolution… through constructive dialogue,” as stated by Islamabad.
Pakistan is experiencing an uptick in attacks on its western border with Afghanistan, primarily orchestrated by the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups.
On Wednesday, about 20 civilians lost their lives and nearly 170 sustained injuries, according to Mohammad Haqmal, spokesperson for Spin Boldak’s information department.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported at least 18 civilian deaths and over 350 injuries in the clashes.
“Our homes were bombed, a child got hurt. I heard the plane myself,” shared Abdul Zahir, a 46-year-old resident, with AFP. “It’s terrifying.”
Funerals for seven family members took place in Spin Boldak, attended by hundreds of locals and Taliban officials, as witnessed by an AFP journalist.
Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants who orchestrate frequent attacks from Afghan soil—a claim denied by the Taliban government.
Pakistani authorities on the northern and southern borders reported to AFP on Thursday that “no violence was observed overnight, and the ceasefire is holding.”
A senior security official in Peshawar informed AFP: “Additional paramilitary forces have been stationed to thwart any potential… militant activities that might disrupt the ceasefire.”
Just before the ceasefire was declared, explosions were reported in Kabul and Kandahar province, home to the Afghan Taliban’s elusive supreme leader.
UN rights chief Volker Turk commended the ceasefire and urged “both sides to prevent further civilian harm and commit to a lasting ceasefire.”
‘Precision Strikes’
The initial blasts in Afghanistan last week, attributed by the Taliban to Islamabad, occurred while Afghanistan’s top diplomat was on a historic visit to India—Pakistan’s eastern neighbor and competitor.
The Taliban then launched a border offensive, prompting Islamabad to promise a robust retaliation.
Fire exchanges over the weekend resulted in multiple fatalities, with renewed violence on Wednesday also leading to civilian casualties, according to Kabul.
The Taliban government officially attributed Wednesday’s explosions in Kabul to a tanker and generator blast.
However, Pakistani security sources indicated that military operations targeted an armed group with “precision strikes” in Kabul, also engaging Afghan Taliban bases in Kandahar.
Power outages occurred overnight and into Thursday morning in parts of Kabul due to explosion-damaged power lines, according to AFP journalists in the area.
AFP journalists noted municipal workers repairing damage in a Kabul neighborhood on Thursday morning, where roads were charred and apartment windows were shattered.
An Italian NGO running a hospital in Kabul reported at least five deaths and 35 injuries from Wednesday’s explosions.
“We began receiving ambulances filled with injured people, discovering explosions had occurred a few kilometers from our facility,” said Dejan Panic, EMERGENCY’s country director in Afghanistan, in a statement.
The injured suffered shrapnel wounds, blunt force trauma, and burns, with 10 in critical condition, the NGO reported.
