Fresh violence has erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, leaving five Pakistani soldiers and 25 terrorists dead, the military confirmed on Sunday.
The clashes took place in Kurram and North Waziristan districts on Friday and Saturday, as both nations held talks in Istanbul to prevent further escalation.
According to Pakistan’s military media wing, the attackers tried to cross over from Afghanistan. The statement questioned Kabul’s intentions in “regard to addressing the issue of terrorism emanating from its soil.”
In Afghanistan, the Taliban government’s chief spokesman and the defence ministry did not respond to the incident. The Taliban has repeatedly denied sheltering militants, accusing Pakistan instead of violating Afghan sovereignty through cross-border military actions.
The recent fighting marks the deadliest exchange since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul. Earlier this month, both sides had engaged in heavy shelling and airstrikes after Pakistan demanded the Taliban rein in militants operating from Afghan territory. The clashes prompted a truce, brokered in Doha on October 16.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Saturday that the ceasefire was still holding and expressed hope that Afghanistan wanted peace. However, he warned that if the Istanbul negotiations failed, it would mean “open war.”
Pakistan’s military described the attackers as members of “Fitna al Khwarij,” a term it uses for groups inspired by extremist ideology and supported by “foreign sponsors.”
Meanwhile, peace talks between the two nations have hit a stalemate.
Citing Pakistani media, Geo News reported that Islamabad accused the Taliban of taking an “illogical and detached” stance on counter-terrorism cooperation.
The second round of talks in Istanbul on Saturday followed initial negotiations held in Doha last week. During the discussions, Pakistan presented “clear, evidence-based and solution-oriented” demands urging the Taliban to curb cross-border militancy. The Taliban’s alleged inflexibility, however, has raised doubts about their willingness to cooperate.
Radio Pakistan reported that the talks focused on establishing a joint monitoring mechanism to restrict militant movement across the border and to ease trade barriers. The discussions also explored long-term political cooperation between the two nations.
Sources quoted by Geo News said Turkey is attempting to persuade the Taliban delegation to acknowledge Pakistan’s concerns. Islamabad, according to the report, presented its “final position,” warning that any tolerance or shelter for militants attacking its territory would not be acceptable. “Islamabad pressed the Taliban to take firm, verifiable action against terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil,” the report stated.
In the first phase of talks held in Istanbul on October 19, Pakistan had submitted a detailed counterterrorism plan to Kabul. The Afghan side responded early Sunday morning.
As talks continued, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reiterated that “all-out war” was possible if peace efforts failed. He added that border clashes had ceased for the last several days and that 80 per cent of points agreed upon during the Doha talks were being implemented.
Amid these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to mediate the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict. Speaking at the signing of the Thailand-Cambodia peace deal during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, he said that they were averaging one war a month and that there was only one left, although he had heard that Pakistan and Afghanistan had started up again. He added that he would solve that very quickly, as he knew both countries well.
Trump went on to say that the Pakistan Field Marshal and the Prime Minister were great people and that he had no doubt the issue would be resolved quickly. He further remarked that helping to end conflicts was something he could “do nicely,” adding that if he could take the time to save millions of lives, it would truly be a great thing and that he could not think of anything better to do.
Earlier this month, at the Gaza Peace Summit, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called Trump a “man of peace,” crediting him with easing tensions between India and Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Despite Trump’s repeated claims of involvement, India has maintained that no third-party mediation played a role in its ceasefire agreement with Islamabad.