【Epoch Times October 16, 2025】Pakistan and the Afghan government have agreed to implement a temporary ceasefire lasting 48 hours on Wednesday (October 15) after intense airstrikes and ground clashes. This conflict has resulted in at least 12 Afghan civilian deaths and around a hundred injuries, marking the most serious military confrontation between the two countries since the Taliban took power in 2021.
According to Reuters, the fighting has been concentrated in the Spin Boldak area on the border of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan. Pakistan’s military launched airstrikes on Wednesday, claiming to target a battalion of Afghan Taliban forces and alleging to have killed dozens; meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense accused the Pakistani military of bombing residential areas.
The non-governmental organization “EMERGENCY,” headquartered in Italy, stated at their Kabul trauma center that they treated 40 injured individuals that day, mostly for shrapnel wounds and burns from explosions, with 5 of them succumbing to severe injuries.
The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that both sides would implement a “temporary ceasefire” starting from 13:00 Greenwich Mean Time, emphasizing that this was a request from the Kabul side. However, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the ceasefire was reached in response to “Pakistan’s insistence” and ordered their troops not to fire unless under attack.
Simultaneously, both sides continue to blame each other for provocation. The Taliban accused the Pakistani military of initiating ground attacks resulting in over a hundred civilian deaths and injuries, while Pakistan denied this and claimed that the border town of Chaman was attacked by Taliban militants, causing injuries to 4 civilians.
According to security officials, clashes between the military and armed militants erupted in the Orakzai region of Pakistan, leading to the deaths of 6 paramilitary personnel and 9 militants.
In recent months, Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing armed militants from Afghan territory to infiltrate into Pakistan and carry out attacks, a charge the Taliban denies. Instead, they allege that Pakistan shelters armed groups associated with the “Islamic State” (ISIS), aiming to disrupt Afghanistan’s sovereignty and stability.
Amid the escalating conflict, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting India, Pakistan’s arch-rival. New Delhi announced the reopening of its embassy in Kabul, while the Taliban also indicated that they would send diplomats to India, further complicating the geopolitical situation in South Asia.
Due to the conflict, several border crossings between the two countries have been closed, disrupting trade, and leaving numerous trucks carrying food and essential supplies stranded at the border. Pakistan is a primary supplier of food and supplies to Afghanistan, and the blockade has exacerbated the already critical shortage of essential goods in Afghanistan.