Prior to this, both nations had leveled accusations of cross-border attacks against each other, with reports indicating over a dozen fatalities.
A provisional ceasefire has been declared by Afghanistan and Pakistan, halting hostilities that erupted between their military forces on Wednesday morning. The recent exchange of gunfire between the two neighboring countries has reportedly resulted in more than a dozen civilian deaths.
Hours after the confrontation, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry disclosed that Kabul and Islamabad had reached an agreement for a restricted 48-hour ceasefire, scheduled to commence at 6 PM local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
The ministry’s statement indicated that both parties “will sincerely endeavor, through dialogue, to identify a constructive resolution for their intricate, yet solvable, disagreements.”
Earlier in the day, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated on X that Pakistani forces had initiated an attack, utilizing “light and heavy weapons,” resulting in 12 civilian fatalities and over 100 injuries.
He further asserted that Afghan forces retaliated, reportedly eliminating a “large number” of soldiers, confiscating Pakistani weaponry and tanks, and demolishing military infrastructure.
Ali Mohammad Haqmal, a press spokesperson in Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district, identified as the location of the incident, updated the civilian death count to 15. Additionally, AFP quoted a local hospital official who reported that 80 women and children were among those injured.
Islamabad dismissed these accusations as “outrageous” and “blatant lies,” contending that the Afghan Taliban were the aggressors, launching attacks on a Pakistani military outpost and other border regions. The Pakistani army stated its forces successfully repelled the offensive, eliminating 37 Taliban militants in two distinct engagements.
Reuters, referencing unnamed security sources, indicated that the confrontation reportedly spanned approximately five hours.
This incident comes on the heels of a weekend escalation where Afghanistan and Pakistan exchanged differing claims regarding casualties. The Taliban asserted it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, whereas Islamabad maintained it had seized 19 Afghan border outposts.
Cross-border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated in recent years, with both nations persistently accusing each other of providing sanctuary to militants.