Fresh deadly border clashes have broken out between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban forces, with both sides accusing each other of breaking a fragile ceasefire.
Residents fled the Afghan city of Spin Boldak overnight, which lies along the 1,600-mile (2,574 km) border the two countries share.
A medical source in the nearby city of Kandahar reported that a local hospital had received the bodies of four people, while three injuries were reported in Pakistan.
Sporadic fighting has repeatedly occurred between the two in recent months; Afghanistan's Taliban government has also accused Pakistan of conducting air strikes inside its territory.
Both sides confirmed they exchanged fire overnight but placed blame on the other for initiating the four hours of combat. A spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused the Taliban of unprovoked firing and stated, An immediate, befitting & intense response has been given by our armed forces. Pakistan remains fully alert & committed to ensuring its territorial integrity & the safety of our citizens. Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesperson claimed that Pakistan had once again initiated attacks and insisted they were forced to respond.
Footage from the area depicted a large number of Afghans fleeing on foot and in vehicles, with people in neighboring towns also evacuating for fear of the fighting spreading.
The clashes come less than two months after both sides agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkey, which had temporarily quelled some of the worst fighting since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
Despite the ceasefire, high tensions linger as the Islamabad government has continuously accused Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of hosting armed groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban, in return, denies these accusations, blaming Pakistan for its own security failures.
Recently, delegations from both nations met in Saudi Arabia for negotiations aimed at a broader peace settlement, yet no agreement has been reached.
