The spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban movement, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed that Pakistani forces carried out shelling in the Spin Boldak area of Kandahar province, while Islamabad accused Afghan forces of opening fire “unjustifiably” in the Chaman border area. The spokesperson for the Pakistani Prime Minister, Musharraf Zaidi, stated that his country is “at the highest level of readiness” to protect its territory and ensure the safety of its citizens.
This escalation comes just two days after a new round of peace talks between the two parties, hosted by Saudi Arabia, concluded without any tangible progress, despite the two countries agreeing to maintain the fragile ceasefire.
Pakistan accuses armed groups operating within Afghan territory of being behind a series of attacks that recently struck its lands, including suicide bombings believed to have been carried out by Afghan nationals. However, Kabul categorically denies this and asserts that it is not responsible for any armed activity outside its borders.
The border between the two countries, which stretches across complex mountainous terrain, has witnessed repeated tensions for decades. It has remained a flashpoint due to political and security disagreements, especially since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, which has made it more difficult to control border crossings and armed activities in the region.
