Pakistan Airstrikes Shatter Fragile Ceasefire With Afghanistan, Taliban Warns of Retaliation
Senior Taliban official accuses Pakistan of violating truce with overnight bombing in Paktika province
By Orlin Milinov
Pakistan has reportedly launched airstrikes inside Afghan territory, breaking a fragile 48-hour ceasefire that had briefly paused a week of deadly border clashes. A senior Taliban official told AFP on Friday night that Islamabad bombed three locations in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, warning that Kabul “will retaliate.”
The temporary truce, which began on Wednesday, had offered a rare moment of calm following intense cross-border fighting that left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead on both sides. However, tensions reignited late Friday as the Taliban accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement.
“Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika,” the Taliban official said on condition of anonymity. “Afghanistan will retaliate.”
When the ceasefire began at 1300 GMT on Wednesday, Islamabad had said it would last 48 hours, while Kabul claimed it would continue until Pakistan violated it. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Afghan troops were under orders not to engage unless provoked.
“If they [Pakistan] do, then you have every right to defend your country,” Mujahid said in an interview with Ariana TV.
Border Tensions and Escalation
The recent escalation began last Saturday, shortly after explosions struck Kabul during a visit by the Taliban’s foreign minister to India — a move that underscored the shifting regional alliances and deepening mistrust between Islamabad and Kabul.
In response, the Taliban reportedly launched a military offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to promise a “strong response.”
Before the ceasefire expired, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters that authorities would “wait for 48 hours to see if the ceasefire is held.”
Security Concerns at the Core
Security issues remain central to the conflict. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of sheltering members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for numerous attacks inside Pakistan — an allegation the Taliban government denies.
“Pakistan has repeatedly shared its concerns related to the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan soil,” Khan said during a press briefing. “Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against these terrorist elements by the Taliban regime.”
Hours before the ceasefire ended, a suicide bombing and gun assault on a military camp in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district killed seven paramilitary troops. A TTP faction claimed responsibility for the attack.
Uneasy Calm Among Civilians
Despite the violence, life briefly returned to normal in border towns such as Spin Boldak. “Everything is fine, everything is open,” a local resident, Nani, told AFP. “Some people are sending their children away, but I don’t think anything will happen.”
However, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported 37 deaths and over 400 injuries on the Afghan side of the border, urging both nations to seek a lasting resolution.
An AFP correspondent described mass funerals in Spin Boldak, including for children wrapped in white shrouds. “People have mixed feelings,” said Nematullah, a 42-year-old resident. “They fear fighting will resume, but still go about their business.”
Meanwhile, in Kabul, explosions echoed shortly before Wednesday’s truce announcement. Though no group claimed responsibility, Pakistani security sources described them as “precision strikes” targeting militants. Afghan sources suggested the blasts were airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, though the Taliban government has yet to formally accuse Islamabad.
