Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: 48-hour ceasefire agreed after big escalation; dozens dead, blasts in Kabul

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban administration have agreed to a temporary ceasefire for 48 hours starting 6 pm Pakistan local time on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing Pakistan’s foreign ministry, after fresh fighting erupted between the neighbours.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan will make sincere efforts, through dialogue, to find a positive solution to the complex yet resolvable issue, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: Two explosions were heard in central Kabul on Wednesday evening, AFP news agency reported, citing its journalists, as Afghanistan remained tense after border clashes with Pakistan over the past week and renewed fighting.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said an oil tanker and a generator had exploded, sparking fires in the Afghan capital, according to the AFP report.

Ambulances were moving through the streets, while Taliban security forces also cordoned off the city centre.

In videos, purportedly of the explosions in Kabul, that circulated on social media, plumes of black smoke could be seen rising into the sky and the ground littered with shattered glass from buildings damaged by the explosions.

(via AFP)

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: The Pakistan Army said it ‘successfully’ repelled coordinated attacks by the Taliban of Afghanistan and a militant group it identified as ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’ in Chaman’s Spin Boldak area, killing around 50 Taliban fighters.

Pakistani news portal Dunya News reported, citing a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that on the morning of October 15, the Afghan Taliban carried out attacks at four locations in Balochistan’s Spin Boldak, all of which were repelled by Pakistani forces.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: The two countries have not had very friendly relations since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, however, the main point of contention is Pakistan’s accusation against authorities in Afghanistan of giving shelter to militants carrying out strikes on its soil, a charge denied by the Afghan authorities.

The two countries share a 2,611-kilometer border known as the Durand Line, but Afghanistan has never recognised it. Pakistan has been accusing the Taliban regime of giving shelter to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists, blaming the group for a series of attacks inside the country.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: Amid renewed border clashes with Afghanistan on Wednesday, and Afghanistan reportedly denying entry to Pakistani ministers for talks, Islamabad dialed Qatar and Saudi Arabia to act as mediators, an indiatoday.in report said but did not mention the source of the information.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: As fighting continued on the borders, a few people were injured when protesters clashed with police during a demolition and clean-up operation by Pakistan authorities in the Afghan Basti (village) or refugee camp on the outskirts of Karachi on Wednesday.

The drive is being carried out now because some 8000 Afghans who were residing in the camp had returned home and left behind the concrete structures, including homes and shops, which are now being taken over by land grabbers, a PTI report quoted Senior Superintendent of Police West, Tariq Mastoi.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live: Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing Afghan and Pakistan officials, as fresh fighting erupted between the neighbours.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes live updates: Over 50, including troops and civilians from both sides, were killed in fresh clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that erupted Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday, reports said, citing security officials.

Pakistan’s military said two assaults by Afghanistan’s Taliban on major border posts in the southwest and northwest were repelled, with about 20 Taliban fighters killed, according to AFP news agency.

The Pakistan military said about 30 more were likely killed in overnight clashes along its northwest border.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted an official, not mentioning of which side, as saying that six Pakistani paramilitary troops were dead in the fresh fighting.

Taliban said 15 civilians were killed. It was not known whether it was over and above the toll Pakistan gave.