Pakistan and Afghanistan traded gunfire on Thursday just as officials from both nations resumed talks in İstanbul aimed at cementing a fragile ceasefire following last month’s deadly clashes. Each side blamed the other for starting the brief exchange, which rattled the already tense border region and underscored the fragility of ongoing peace efforts.
According to Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, Pakistani troops opened fire on the Spin Boldak area of southern Kandahar province while negotiators were in session in Türkiye. He said Afghan forces refrained from retaliating “to prevent civilian casualties and out of respect for the negotiation team.”
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting swiftly rejected the allegation, insisting that firing had begun from the Afghan side and that Pakistani security forces “responded immediately in a measured and responsible manner.” Residents told reporters the exchange lasted roughly 10 to 15 minutes before calm was restored.
The incident came as representatives from both countries convened in Istanbul for a third round of discussions intended to finalise a truce agreed in Qatar on October 19. That deal temporarily halted a week-long conflict that killed scores of people and wounded hundreds along their mountainous frontier.
Ceasefire remains fragile as mistrust deepens
Security concerns have driven the renewed violence, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of sheltering Pakistan’s Taliban faction (TTP), responsible for repeated attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government in Kabul denies the claim, saying it has not allowed militants to use Afghan soil for cross-border strikes.
Negotiations last week in Türkiye ended without resolution, with both sides accusing the other of intransigence. Officials warned that a collapse in talks could reignite full-scale hostilities. Despite the ceasefire, most key border crossings including Chaman and Torkham remain closed to trade and civilian travel since October 12. Pakistan has partially reopened two crossings to facilitate the return of Afghan refugees.
Host nation Türkiye announced that the delegations agreed to create a monitoring and verification body to oversee the truce and penalise any violations. Diplomats described the mechanism as a crucial test of both sides’ willingness to prevent further bloodshed.
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According to United Nations figures, 50 civilians were killed and 447 wounded on the Afghan side during the October clashes, while the Pakistani military reported 23 soldiers dead and 29 injured. The Taliban authorities also cited five deaths in Kabul explosions they blamed on Pakistan.
Although Thursday’s incident was short-lived, analysts warn that continuing mistrust and armed flashpoints could derail the peace process. For now, negotiators in İstanbul are pressing to translate the Qatar agreement into a durable ceasefire but each new burst of gunfire shows just how elusive that goal remains.
