Afghanistan and Pakistan Clash at Border, Agree to a Truce

Staff Writer

Avery Kachmarsky

During the night of October 11, Afghanistan and Pakistan clashed at several checkpoints and posts along their shared border, known as the Durand Line, which was established by the British in 1893, according to Reuters. After the initial clashes, Pakistan closed its border crossings on October 12 to maintain security and prevent incursions . The attacks follow recent demands from Pakistan urging the Taliban to restrain militants who have intensified their assaults within Pakistan.

The total number of casualties from the past week is not officially known, but representatives from the Taliban have claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers have been killed, while Pakistani officials have acknowledged 23 deaths of its soldiers, per The Associated Press. While Pakistan has claimed that the Taliban and allied forces have suffered 200 casualties, no evidence of these claims has surfaced.

On October 16, Afghanistan reported drone strikes on its capital and accused Pakistan of escalating provocations, though Pakistan has not issued any official statement acknowledging the strikes, according to The Associated Press. Afghanistan’s report comes a day after the two nations agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire on October 15, following calls from regional countries to end hostilities amid fears of a wider conflict.

Currently, the drone strike report has not impacted the credibility of the truce, and as of October 17, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to extend the original truce until representatives from the nations meet to negotiate a peaceful resolution, as reported by Reuters. Officials have reported that these talks will take place in Qatar on October 18.

Officials from both nations have also declared that the truce was backed by the other nation, with Pakistan claiming that Afghanistan initially requested an end to violence, per NPR. Taliban officials have also stated that Pakistan’s attacks into cities targeted civilians and did not aim solely at militaristic targets. Despite this, Pakistan announced that their border assaults pushed Taliban and allied forces back and maintained their sovereignty.

Given the differences in military capabilities and allied forces, any full invasion from either nation may have negative consequences. Public data shows a large disparity in active troops in Afghanistan from Pakistan, with a difference of roughly over 400,000 personnel from known information, according to The Associated Press. Pakistan also maintains an arsenal of nuclear weapons, as well as fixed-wing aircraft, while Afghanistan does not possess nuclear arms and controls few aircraft. If Afghanistan’s military capabilities have not increased, this data suggests that while the country may take limited military action against Pakistan, pursuing a peaceful solution remains essential.

Furthermore, if Pakistan retaliates against Afghanistan, the allied forces of the Taliban from around the region may in turn increase their attacks within Pakistan to push the Pakistani officials to negotiations. Nations that have also seen tensions rise with Pakistan in recent months may also weigh their options of attacks or control of regions. Per Al Jazeera, officials from Afghanistan are in India for continued talks, which has put Pakistan in a heighted sense of alarm for fear over potential partnerships between the nations. However, turmoil with other neighboring nations and groups within these nations may also play a key role in preventing expanded conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as the nations aim to quell national unrest and consolidate power from rival groups.

Image courtesy of Getty Images.