- Exchange of fire leaves three Pakistani and five Afghan civilians injured: officials
- Afghan forces reportedly shelled Badani area which Pakistan forces retaliated immediately
- PM’s spokesperson calls Afghan firing ‘unprovoked’ and vows full response
CHAMAN/ISLAMABAD: Tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Chaman subsided on Saturday after a fresh exchange of fire the previous night left several civilians injured on both sides, underscoring the fragility of bilateral relations amid stalled peace talks.
According to officials, at least three Pakistani civilians were wounded and shifted to Chaman District Hospital, while Afghan authorities reported five injuries on their side.
Unfortunately, this evening the Pakistani side once again launched attacks towards Afghanistan in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, prompting the Islamic Emirate forces to respond.
— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) December 5, 2025
Officials said Afghan forces fired mortar shells on the Badani area, prompting Pakistani security forces to respond. However, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Pakistan had initiated an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
🔻🇵🇰🇦🇫⚠️ Pak–Afghan Border Clashes | Friendship Gate Destroyed
The Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate, a key border crossing, was destroyed overnight during intense clashes between forces of the two countries.
Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Afghan forces retaliated after Pakistani… pic.twitter.com/nvE1w0heeD
— ARIKA🇮🇳🚩 (@nidhisj2001) December 6, 2025
Confirming the incident, Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, posted on X early Saturday morning: “A short while ago, the Afghan Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing along the Chaman border. 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.”
A short while ago, the Afghan Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing along the Chaman border. An immediate, befitting & intense response has been given by our armed forces. Pakistan remains fully alert & committed to ensuring its territorial integrity & the safety our…
— Mosharraf Zaidi 🇵🇰 (@mosharrafzaidi) December 5, 2025
A senior official in Quetta, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the clashes started around 10pm and continued late into the night.
The recent flare-up comes amid stalled Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations, following three rounds of talks in Istanbul that failed to resolve longstanding differences over border security and cross-border militancy. Border clashes first erupted on October 11, marking the start of heightened tensions.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take action against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), citing cross-border terrorism as the main point of contention.
Clashes broke out between Afghan and Pakistani forces at the Spin Boldak border crossing in southern Kandahar province, Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Friday. #XinhuaNews pic.twitter.com/FkOUWj0eXP
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 6, 2025
Despite these tensions, Pakistan has maintained its willingness to engage in dialogue. Shortly after the October 11 clashes, a temporary ceasefire was brokered on October 15, enabling both sides to convene in Doha. The ceasefire aimed to prevent further hostilities while Pakistan and Afghanistan committed to work toward lasting mechanisms for peace and stability.
The second round of talks took place in Istanbul on October 25, but Information Minister Attaullah Tarar later announced on X that negotiations had “failed to bring about any workable solution.” Subsequent intervention by mediators Turkey and Qatar salvaged dialogue, with a joint statement on October 31 promising that “further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided” during a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6.
However, after the third round of talks on November 7, Defence Minister Khawaja stated that discussions addressing cross-border terrorism were “over” and had “entered an indefinite phase,” highlighting persistent disagreements. Following the breakdown in dialogue, the Afghan Taliban suspended trade ties with Pakistan, which had already closed its border for trade shortly after the clashes.
The Chaman incident underscores ongoing volatility along the 2,400-kilometre Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where sporadic exchanges of fire continue to flare up, threatening regional stability.
With the peace process stalled and differences over TTP and border management unresolved, both sides face mounting pressure from their respective populations to ensure security while seeking a long-term solution to repeated hostilities.
