Islamabad: Tensions escalated along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after the Afghan Taliban regime allegedly opened unprovoked fire in the Torkham and Tirah sub-sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a spokesperson for Prime Minister said on Tuesday night.
In a statement posted on X, spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi said Afghan forces initiated the firing. Pakistan’s security forces, however, responded immediately and effectively, silencing the Afghan positions.
Moreover, he warned that any further provocation would draw an immediate and severe response. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to protect its citizens and safeguard its territorial integrity.
The latest flare-up comes amid strained relations following a series of suicide bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur and Bannu. Pakistani officials linked the attacks to militants operating from Afghan territory. Consequently, Islamabad carried out intelligence-based strikes last week targeting seven camps allegedly used by Fitna al Khawarij, a term authorities use for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), its affiliates and Daesh-Khorasan.
Cross-border strikes and fragile ceasefire
Security sources said the strikes hit locations in Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika provinces, killing more than 80 militants. Earlier operations had reportedly eliminated over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated fighters, including through precision strikes in Kandahar province.
Previously, both countries had agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025 after similar border clashes. Kabul later requested a truce, which the two sides formalised in talks mediated by Doha and Turkiye. Under the agreement, Afghan soil was not to be used for attacks against Pakistan.
However, follow-up discussions in Turkiye failed to yield lasting results, as Islamabad accused Kabul of avoiding its core security concerns. Consequently, tensions have resurfaced along the volatile frontier.
