On October 11, Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged gunfire along their border, escalating after attacks in Kabul and Kandahar, prompting Pakistan to declare a 48‑hour ceasefire.
Explosions in Kabul and Kandahar
Reuters reports that forces in Kandahar province suffered an attack, while the Tehran Times posted that Iranian air forces carried out multiple strikes on targets in the city of SpinBoldak. Earlier reports from an Iranian newspaper described powerful explosions in Kabul. Footage released shows plumes of smoke over cities, and AFP confirms that explosions were heard in Afghanistan’s capital. Sources say Pakistan carried out precise strikes in both Kabul and Kandahar provinces.
Re‑ignition of Border Clashes
On a Wednesday at the Pakistani‑Afghan border, fighting resumed. Taliban officials claimed 12 civilians were killed and 100 injured. Pakistani authorities said six of their soldiers were killed and about 20 wounded in the same incident.
Casualties from Oct. 11 Skirmishes
Afghan forces attacked Pakistani troops along the border on Saturday, October 11, allegedly as retaliation for a Pakistani air strike on Kabul. Pakistan denied participation but asserted its right to defend against rebels purportedly commanded from Afghanistan. Pakistani army officials declared that more than 200 Afghan soldiers and terrorists were killed, and 23 Pakistani soldiers also died. The Taliban earlier reported 58 Pakistani soldiers killed in nighttime fighting and nine Afghan soldiers killed.
Historical Context of the Border Tension
Clashes along the Afghan–Pakistani border have persisted since 2021, when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. The recent exchange of fire follows a series of incidents that have drawn the two countries into a brief 48‑hour ceasefire.
