The geopolitical tensions flared up again on Sunday as at least 58 Pakistani soldiers are reported to be killed and dozens more injured following fierce overnight clashes along the contested Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
This is the deadliest escalation in years between the two countries, and threatens to deepen instability in the region, raises fears of a wider conflict between the neighboring states.
This is the second major conflict Pakistan is involved in in a matter of months, as the country faced Indian airstrikes in May after the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir.
What’s behind recent Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict?
According to Pakistani officials, the latest round of violence began when a large group of militants, reportedly operating from inside Afghan territory, launched coordinated attacks on several border posts along the Durand Line.
The Pakistan Army has accused “Afghan Taliban elements and their affiliates” of sheltering and supporting fighters from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the group blamed for a string of deadly cross-border raids in recent months.
In a strong statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called “unprovoked aggression” and urged Afghanistan to take action against militants operating within its borders.
A spokesperson warned that “the disregard for Pakistan’s sovereignty cannot go unanswered,” adding that Islamabad was considering “all necessary options” in response.
Kabul, however, has pushed back hard against those claims. Afghan defense officials accused Pakistan of violating Afghan airspace overnight, saying Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes that targeted what Islamabad described as “militant hideouts.”
Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry called for an immediate ceasefire and restraint on both sides. “Afghanistan remains committed to peace,” a spokesperson said, “but we will defend our territorial sovereignty against any foreign aggression.”
What disputes led to the big clash?
This latest clash is just the newest chapter in a long-running saga along the tense Durand Line, the 2,640-kilometer border that separates Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The line itself has been disputed for decades, never officially recognized by any Afghan government.
Over the years, it has become a hotspot for cross-border shelling, militant attacks, and frequent shutdowns of key trade routes like Torkham and Chaman, all of which have taken a heavy toll on relations between the two neighbors.
At the heart of the tensions is the resurgence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
Pakistan insists that Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government is either turning a blind eye to the group’s fighters or simply can’t control them.
Analysts say it’s turned into a vicious cycle with attacks on Pakistani patrols leading to retaliatory airstrikes and shelling, with both sides accusing the other of harboring or helping militants.
In recent months, Pakistan has temporarily sealed off border crossings and intensified air operations following deadly assaults.
Afghanistan, in turn, has warned that repeated violations of its airspace could spiral into a much larger regional conflict if things don’t cool down soon.
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