Pakistan–Afghanistan Border Clashes Escalate Amid Refugee Crackdown, Airstrike Condemnations, and Short-Term Ceasefire
Intensifying clashes between Pakistan’s military and Taliban forces in Afghanistan have triggered one of the deadliest escalations since 2021, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict and worsening conditions for Afghan refugees inside Pakistan.
More details in the following report:
According to Deutsche Welle and Agence France-Presse, deadly cross-border fighting earlier this month left at least 58 Pakistani soldiers dead and 25 border posts seized by the Taliban, while Pakistan’s army reported the deaths of 23 troops and over 200 Afghan fighters. Since January, more than 500 people — including 311 soldiers and 73 police officers — have been killed in related incidents.
The clashes erupted after Islamabad demanded Kabul act against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group linked to the Afghan Taliban. Following the escalation, Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Kabul and the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar. The Human Rights Alliance and the Alliance of Human Rights Activists condemned the bombings as “a grave violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and international law,” calling them “terror-driven politics” that endangered civilians.
The Emergency Hospital in Kabul confirmed that at least 40 people, including women and children, were treated following the attacks. The final death toll remains unclear as assessments continue. Human rights groups urged both countries to show restraint and protect civilians, warning that further violence could destabilize the wider region.
Meanwhile, the border closure has intensified hardship for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Radio Azadi and local media reported a surge in police raids, arrests, and evictions, with landlords instructed not to rent homes to undocumented Afghans. Videos from Quetta and Rawalpindi showed police rounding up refugees and conducting door-to-door searches.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that Afghan refugees’ stay in the country “must come to an end,” confirming the closure of ten refugee camps. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said more than two million Afghans have been returned from Pakistan and Iran in 2025, warning of worsening humanitarian strain.
In a late development, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour truce following the deadly cross-border airstrikes. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and Taliban officials, the ceasefire began at 5:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, October 15, initiated at the Taliban’s request. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the agreement and urged fighters to respect the temporary pause.
The Pakistani military earlier said its airstrikes targeted the “leadership center” of the TTP in Kabul, though Taliban officials have not verified the claim. Local sources in Kabul reported that one of the explosions shattered windows in nearby homes, spreading panic among residents.
Both governments have pledged to use the truce to ease tensions through dialogue. Analysts warn, however, that without a long-term political solution, the 48-hour ceasefire may prove short-lived in a region already strained by instability, displacement, and deep mutual distrust.
