Border Clash After Airstrikes: A Fresh Look at the Pakistan‑Afghanistan Tension

Pakistani and Afghan troops fired back and forth along their shared border, each side blaming the other for starting the fight. The sparks came a few days after Pakistan launched airstrikes into Afghanistan, which had already pushed the fragile ceasefire to its limits. The border is 2, 600 kilometres long, and this incident adds another flare‑up to the series of tensions that have been rising since the airstrikes on Saturday and Sunday. A Pakistani official said Afghan forces had begun shooting without provocation in the Torkham and Tirah areas. He added that Pakistan’s security units responded quickly, ending the Taliban attack. The statement warned that any future provocation would be met with a strong reply. Afghan authorities told a different story. They claimed Pakistani troops opened fire first, and Afghan soldiers then responded. One Afghan spokesperson said the fighting happened near Shahkot in Nazyan district, that it has since stopped, and that no Afghan soldiers were hurt. Another Afghan military spokesperson said border guards in Achin and Durbaba districts were on patrol when they were fired upon, and that the exchange was a reaction to incoming fire rather than revenge.The Pakistani airstrikes targeted camps belonging to the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State Khorasan Province in eastern Afghanistan. Security reports put the militant death toll at 70. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it had credible reports that at least 13 civilians died and seven were injured in Nangarhar. Taliban officials claimed the numbers were higher, but independent verification is lacking. Pakistan accuses TTP leaders of operating from Afghan soil, a claim that Kabul denies. The incident shows how quickly the fragile ceasefire can unravel when military actions spill over borders and provoke reciprocal responses. The situation remains volatile, with both sides prepared to react sharply to any perceived provocation.