Fierce Cross-Border Clashes Erupt Between Pakistani and Afghan Forces; Civilian Casualties Reported
Kabul: Heavy fighting broke out between Pakistani and Afghan forces early Wednesday along the border, with reports of civilian casualties emerging from both sides, according to local media.
The clashes began around 4 a.m. in Spin Boldak, a key border district connecting Afghanistan’s Kandahar province with Pakistan’s Balochistan region, Khaama Press reported, citing local sources. Pakistani forces reportedly shelled residential areas, forcing many families to flee their homes.
Ali Mohammad Haqmal, the information officer for Spin Boldak district, confirmed that intense fighting was underway, with both sides using light and heavy weaponry. Residents in Kandahar also accused Pakistan on social media of targeting civilian homes with heavy artillery.
The latest escalation follows a brief exchange of fire on Tuesday night in Khost province, where Afghan and Pakistani border guards clashed along the Durand Line. No casualties were reported in that incident.
Pakistan’s state-run media, however, claimed Afghan forces had opened fire “without provocation,” prompting retaliation from Pakistani troops. It further reported that Pakistani forces had destroyed several Afghan tanks and border posts during the exchange.
Tensions have been building for days after Afghanistan claimed it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in retaliatory strikes on multiple posts—an assertion Pakistan dismissed, saying it lost 23 soldiers.
The situation worsened after Pakistan reportedly carried out airstrikes in Kabul and a market area in eastern Afghanistan, deepening hostilities along the tense border.
