Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree On Ceasefire Amid Deadly Clashes

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire after border clashes that have continued since the weekend left dozens dead on both sides.

The neighboring nations will attempt to find a “resolution” to the conflict during the pause, according to a statement by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, adding that the ceasefire will be effective from 6 p.m. local time. Taliban government spokesman in Afghanistan Zabihullah Mujahid also confirmed the temporary ceasefire in a post on X. 

Pakistan killed as many as 50 Afghan soldiers, while repulsing their attacks in different locations of Spin Boldak and Kurram areas of the country’s northwest Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, according to a statement by the military on Wednesday. Afghanistan killed many Pakistani “invading” soldiers, while seizing weapons and tanks and capturing their posts, Mujahid said in a separate X post earlier.

Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their shared border over the weekend amid rising tensions after Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out air strikes inside Afghan territory — an allegation Pakistan has yet to officially address. Afghanistan had said its forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers during overnight border operations, while Pakistan claimed it killed more than 200 Afghan soldiers while 23 of its soldiers were dead.

Mujahid said the ceasefire is taking place “at the request and insistence of the Pakistani side,” adding that Taliban forces will adhere to it unless it is violated. He did not specify how long the ceasefire will last.

The latest conflict in Asia also prompted US President Donald Trump, on his way to Egypt to co-chair an international peace summit on Gaza, to suggest he was willing to step in to resolve fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He already claims stopping many wars including a brief conflict between India and Pakistan in May. New Delhi has, however, denied Trump’s role, while Islamabad has praised him for his involvement in ending the conflict.

Pakistan’s military denied the claim by Mujahid that Afghan forces retaliated to Pakistan launching attack with light and heavy weapons in Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar, killing 12 civilians and wounding more than 100. Pakistani forces killed about 30 Taliban soldiers and militants from its local offshoot and it destroyed eight posts and six tanks in an overnight attack by them in Kurram area, the military said.

In skirmishes later in the day, as many as 20 Afghan Taliban were dead following their attack in Balochistan province, the military said and added: “the situation is still developing.”

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harboring Pakistani Taliban militants and allowing them to use its soil for attacks inside Pakistan — allegations that Kabul has denied. 

An important leader of the Pakistani Taliban was killed in the retaliatory attack, state-run Pakistan Television had reported earlier.