According to Afghan officials, the firing began around 5 p.m., with Pakistani troops allegedly targeting civilian areas using heavy weapons. No casualties were reported till late night. The renewed clashes came just hours before the third round of peace talks between the two countries was set to begin in Turkey, mediated by Ankara and Doha.
The October 19 ceasefire deal signed in Qatar had briefly paused weeks of hostilities, but previous negotiations failed to achieve a lasting settlement. Pakistan’s delegation to the latest talks is being led by ISI Chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, while the Taliban side includes intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib, and spokesman Suhail Shaheen.
Islamabad reiterated that it would not tolerate cross-border terrorism or the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on Afghan soil. “If dialogue fails, Pakistan reserves the right to act in self-defense,” the country’s military spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
The latest exchange follows last month’s deadly airstrikes in Kabul, which killed 17 people — including three Afghan cricketers — deepening the rift between the two neighbors. The attacks were reportedly in response to TTP activities inside Afghanistan.
The long-running dispute over the Durand Line, the colonial-era border dividing ethnic Pashtun regions, remains the root of recurring clashes. Despite diplomatic engagement, both nations accuse each other of violating sovereignty, with observers warning that the fragile peace could collapse entirely if Thursday’s escalation is not contained.
