Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan flared again on Friday as Pakistani security forces reported killing several Afghan Taliban fighters during cross‑border clashes in the Gulistan area. Officials described the incident as an “attempted Afghan aggression,” with intermittent fire continuing along the frontier.
The escalation follows Pakistani air and drone strikes on 10 Afghan locations a day earlier, which Islamabad said targeted “terrorist hideouts and drone launch sites.” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted footage of the strikes, claiming they were in response to a “deliberate and unlawful incursion” into Pakistan by Afghan drones.
Afghanistan’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strikes hit Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces, but denied Kabul had launched drones against Pakistan. Afghan officials warned of an “appropriate response” to what they called unlawful attacks.
The renewed violence comes months after deadly clashes in February, marking the worst fighting between the neighbours in years. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants staging cross‑border attacks, while Kabul insists such incidents are Pakistan’s internal problem.
Regional powers including China, Turkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have been attempting to mediate peace between the former allies. However, the latest escalation threatens to derail efforts and deepen instability across the volatile border region.
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