Clashes erupted on Saturday, October 11, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where the armed forces of the two countries exchanged fire near the disputed Durand Line. Established in 1893, the demarcation remains a source of deep tension as Kabul has never recognized it as a legitimate border.

According to media reports citing security sources, Afghan troops launched a series of coordinated assaults on Pakistani border positions from multiple directions. Under pressure, Pakistani forces were forced to retreat from several strongpoints. Afghan units then captured dozens of Pakistani border outposts. Fighting was reported in several provinces, including Kunar, Nangarhar, Helmand and Kandahar.

Kabul later described the operation as a success. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s leadership, stated that hostilities were halted at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He reported that nine Afghan soldiers were killed and 16 wounded during the overnight battles. Mujahid also claimed that Pakistani losses reached 58 dead and 30 wounded, though Islamabad has not officially responded to those figures. Pakistani media, for their part, reported heavy Afghan casualties.

Tensions between the two neighbors have escalated sharply in recent months. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring militants from what it describes as a «terrorist organization» operating out of Afghan territory. Kabul has denied the allegations and urged Pakistan to address its own security problems.

A day before the escalation, on October 10, Afghanistan accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes on its territory and warned of consequences. On the following day, 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a border clash near Tirah. The last major confrontation between the two sides occurred in May 2025 in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.