Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities and Pakistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire beginning Wednesday evening after days of fierce exchanges along the Chaman–Spin Boldak frontier. Officials said the pause was meant to allow talks on a “complex but solvable” crisis as each side accused the other of initiating attacks and inflating casualty claims. Key crossings remained shut, choking trade and stranding trucks.

Ceasefire Terms And Conflicting Claims

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said both sides would “make sincere efforts” during the ceasefire, which began at 6:00 p.m. (13:00 GMT). Kabul’s spokesman said the truce was made at Pakistan’s “insistence” and ordered forces not to open fire unless attacked. Each government accused the other of launching ground assaults.

Afghan officials reported that “light and heavy weapons” fire from across the border killed at least 12 civilians and wounded more than 100. Pakistan said it had repelled “unprovoked” attacks and inflicted losses on militants. The weekend’s violence, which peaked with an airstrike claim near Spin Boldak, marked the worst border clashes since 2021.

Fighting, Casualties And Kabul Blasts

Residents on both sides reported hours of shelling and large-scale displacement as clashes spread from Kurram to the Chaman–Spin Boldak corridor. Authorities closed several border crossings and suspended trade. In Kabul, explosions sent smoke into the evening sky.

A surgical center said it had received five bodies and 40 wounded with shrapnel and blast injuries, while officials debated whether the blasts were linked to cross-border strikes. Pakistan separately reported soldiers and militants killed in Orakzai during searches connected to recent attacks.

Regional Stakes And Diplomacy

The flare-up drew urgent calls for restraint from regional and global powers, with appeals credited for briefly pausing earlier clashes; leaders also signaled readiness to mediate if needed. The tensions have sharpened long-running disputes over safe havens and the presence of ISIS-K and allied groups, even as Kabul’s outreach to New Delhi—including plans to restore embassies—added a geopolitical wrinkle that Islamabad noted closely.

Whether the 48-hour pause becomes a pathway to durable de-escalation will depend on verification, border management, and reopening lifeline trade routes.