Ceasefire shattered? Border tensions flare as Pakistan bombs Afghan districts, Taliban vows retaliation

Islamabad: Pakistani airstrikes struck Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Friday, reportedly targeting residential homes in the Argun and Barmal districts, according to local outlet Tolo News.

A Taliban official confirmed the attacks to AFP, accusing Islamabad of violating the recently extended ceasefire. “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika,” the official said, warning that “Afghanistan will retaliate.”

The development comes just hours after reports suggested that the temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan had been extended. Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, citing a senior diplomatic source, had earlier reported that the truce—initially set to expire on Friday evening—would continue until the end of the Doha negotiations.

The 48-hour ceasefire was agreed earlier this week following days of deadly border violence that left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead on both sides. The renewed airstrikes now threaten to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have flared repeatedly along their shared border, particularly in regions such as Paktika and Khost, where both sides have accused each other of cross-border aggression.

The recent ceasefire was brokered to prevent further bloodshed after a week of intense clashes, which began when Taliban fighters and Pakistani security forces exchanged heavy fire near the frontier. Civilians living in nearby villages were reportedly forced to flee their homes amid shelling.

Friday’s strikes mark a significant escalation, with local reports suggesting that at least three sites were hit, though casualty details remain unclear. Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of targeting civilian zones, while Islamabad has not yet issued an official response.

Diplomatic negotiations in Doha were expected to lay the groundwork for a longer-term truce between the two countries, but the latest attacks have cast doubt on the peace process.

Both Afghanistan and Pakistan have a history of strained relations, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban of harbouring militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul, in turn, has condemned repeated Pakistani incursions and airstrikes as violations of its sovereignty.

If confirmed, the breach of ceasefire could further destabilise the already volatile border region and complicate regional security talks involving other stakeholders, including Qatar and China.