Clashes Between Pakistani Forces and Afghan 'Taliban' at the Border

SadaNews - Officials in Islamabad and Kabul reported that heavy gunfire erupted between Pakistani and Afghan border forces on Friday - Saturday, about two months after a large number of casualties occurred in the worst cross-border clashes in decades.

A Pakistani official told the German news agency that the recent hostilities, which included artillery fire and other weaponry, took place between Pakistan's Balochistan province and Afghanistan's Kandahar region.

Some sources reported the death of 4 militants.

A spokesperson for the Pakistani border guards monitoring the border stated, "The gunfire lasted for two hours. It was intense and fierce."

A spokesperson for the Afghan 'Taliban' government said that their forces responded to the gunfire initiated by Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials claimed that 'Taliban' fighters were the ones who started firing at civilians across the border.

The clashes come after months of bloody skirmishes in October, which were triggered by Pakistani airstrikes on targets inside Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, aimed at a militia leader alleged to be behind cross-border attacks.

A fragile truce mediated by Qatar has been in place since then.