Clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan: the double game returns

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have dramatically reignited along the Kunar border, where violent armed clashes have resulted in over sixty deaths among military and civilians. According to converging sources from Tolonews and Al Jazeera, Afghan Armed Forces reportedly used tanks and heavy artillery in response to alleged Pakistani bombings in the preceding days.

Tanks deployed and continuous firefights

The Ministry of Defense in Kabul confirmed the deployment of armored vehicles and artillery in the eastern province of Kunar, bordering the Pakistani district of Chitral. The operations, which began on the night between Saturday and Sunday, quickly escalated into a large-scale confrontation.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that "nine soldiers of the Islamic Emirate have fallen and 16 were injured" following a "Pakistani aggression." Islamabad's counterpart, however, speaks of "unprovoked fire" by the Afghans and reports artillery strikes on civilian areas.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the attacks as "a blatant violation of international law," announcing the closure of major border crossings, including Torkham and Chaman. The blockade immediately halted commercial traffic and left hundreds of civilians and truck drivers stranded on both sides of the border.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering TTP militants

Pakistan attributes the escalation to the Taliban, accusing them of hosting and protecting militants of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a jihadist group responsible for numerous attacks in Pakistani territory.

Sources from Reuters report that in the preceding days, Islamabad conducted targeted air raids against alleged TTP camps in the Afghan province of Paktika, an action Kabul considers "a violation of national sovereignty."

In response, the Taliban accused Pakistani services of being behind the Thursday explosions in Kabul and the eastern province of Paktika, considered by Kabul as sabotage acts aimed at destabilizing the country.

Tension further increased when the Afghan Foreign Minister, engaged in a diplomatic visit to India, made joint statements perceived by Islamabad as “hostile and anti-Pakistani”.

Casualties and provisional toll

The figures remain conflicting: the Taliban speak of 58 Pakistani soldiers killed and 30 wounded, while Islamabad sources downplay the toll, admitting "significant losses" but without specifying numbers. Local testimonies report at least 23 Pakistani soldiers fallen and about a dozen Taliban militants.

The border, already the scene of sporadic clashes in recent years, had not seen an escalation of such intensity since 2021, the year of the Taliban takeover.

The use of T-62 tanks and Chinese-made armored vehicles, combined with the deployment of 122 mm field artillery, signals an unusual level of mobilization for a border dispute.

Calls for calm and risk of regional destabilization

Saudi Arabia has urged both parties to "avoid further escalation and adopt the path of dialogue and wisdom," while the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern" about the situation, hoping that the two capitals "restore cooperation in border security."

The crisis is also being closely watched by Washington and Beijing, aware that an open conflict between the two countries could compromise the stability of the entire South Asian region, already fragile due to Indo-Pakistani tensions and internal instability in Afghanistan.

The potential collapse of cross-border cooperation would also have direct effects on the fight against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and refugee flows pressing towards Iran and Central Asia.

Analysis: a border symbol of unresolved rivalries

The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, drawn in 1893 with the “Durand Line”, has always been a subject of contention. Kabul has never officially recognized its legitimacy, considering it a frontier imposed by the British colonial period.

After the withdrawal of US forces in 2021, Islamabad had hoped for a more cooperative Taliban government on security matters. However, the Taliban's ambiguous stance towards the TTP and mutual accusations of supporting terrorism have progressively eroded any remaining trust.

Today, bilateral relations appear at an all-time low. Without effective mediation, the risk is that the Afghan-Pakistani border will become a new unstable front, with direct consequences on regional security and the fragile political balance of Central Asia.