Islamabad: Fresh violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has cast a shadow over ongoing peace talks in Istanbul, with five Pakistani soldiers and 25 militants killed in clashes on Friday and Saturday.
The skirmishes occurred in the rugged terrains of Kurram and North Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, areas long plagued by terrorist activities.
Pakistan’s military alleged that Afghan-based terrorist groups attempted to infiltrate its border, prompting a fierce response. The Inter-Services Public Relations expressed frustration, stating, “These incidents raise serious questions about the Afghan government’s commitment to curbing terrorism from its soil.”
The clashes, described as the deadliest since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, have severely strained bilateral trust.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif warned that failure to reach an agreement in Istanbul could escalate into “open war”.
The violence follows a series of tit-for-tat accusations, with the Taliban previously alleging that Pakistan’s cross-border airstrikes violated Afghan sovereignty. Kabul has yet to respond to the latest claims.
The conflict traces back to bombings in Kabul, blamed by the Taliban on Pakistan, which retaliated with airstrikes. A recent visit by a Taliban delegation to India further complicates the situation and raises concerns about regional security dynamics. Experts caution that the intensifying tensions could potentially disrupt South Asia’s stability and pose a challenge to India’s diplomatic approach as Pakistan exerts pressure on the Taliban.