Pakistan and Afghanistan Agree to 48-Hour Ceasefire After Deadly Border Clashes

Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced on Wednesday that a temporary ceasefire has been agreed with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours, following several days of intense cross-border clashes, according to Dawn.

The Foreign Office stated, “A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6 pm today, at the request of the Taliban.”

During this period, both sides are expected to “make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue,” the statement added.

Taliban regime spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed on X that Afghan forces had been instructed to respect the truce “unless any aggression takes place.”

Earlier reports cited by Dawn and Pakistan’s state broadcaster PTV News indicated that the Pakistan armed forces had conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and the capital, Kabul.

A statement shared on X and quoted by PTV said, “Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action against Afghan Taliban aggression, key hideouts destroyed. Key hideouts of Afghan Taliban successfully targeted by Pakistan Army.”

The statement detailed that the strikes in Kandahar resulted in the complete destruction of Afghan Taliban Battalion Number 4 and Border Brigade Number 6, with dozens of foreign and Afghan operatives killed.

The Pakistan Army affirmed that it retained “the full capability to give a strong and complete response to any external aggression.” PTV reported that strikes were also carried out in Kabul, targeting what were described as terrorist hideouts.

Security sources told PTV that Pakistani forces targeted Afghan Taliban Battalion Headquarters No 4, Battalion 8, and Border Brigade No 5 in Kandahar. “All these targets were meticulously selected, isolated from civilian populations, and successfully destroyed,” the sources said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Pakistani troops had repelled an attack by Afghan Taliban fighters along the Balochistan border, killing between 15 and 20 militants.

The ISPR noted that the Taliban “resorted to cowardly attack[s] at four locations in [the] Spin Boldak area” during the early hours, but the assaults were effectively repelled by Pakistani forces.

Wednesday’s fighting marked the third major confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan in a week, following clashes in Kurram the day before and multiple border skirmishes over the weekend, as reported by Dawn.

The ISPR added that during one earlier incident, 23 Pakistani troops were killed and 29 injured after Afghan Taliban militants attacked posts across the border. Pakistani counterattacks reportedly “neutralised more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists,” with many more injured.

Afghanistan’s Taliban administration claimed its assaults were “retaliatory” responses to alleged airstrikes by Pakistan inside Afghan territory the previous week. Islamabad did not confirm these strikes but reiterated its right to defend itself against cross-border aggression.

Dawn highlighted that these clashes come amid rising tensions, with Pakistan urging Kabul to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil for attacks. Afghanistan denies these allegations, insisting its territory is not being used to target neighboring countries.

The long-standing issue of cross-border militancy has strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul, with tensions intensifying following the recent escalation of hostilities.

On Monday, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that relations between the two countries had effectively broken down. “It’s a stalemate right now. You can say there are no active hostilities, but the environment is hostile,” he said. “There are no ties, direct or indirect, as of today.”

The minister warned that renewed clashes could erupt “at any time,” underscoring the fragile state of relations between the neighbors.

Source: ANI