KABUL: Four civilians were killed and four others injured in fresh clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces near Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, Tolo News reported, citing local sources.
According to Tolo News, the casualties occurred due to mortar attacks in the Afghan Maazal Gali and Luqman village areas, as clashes broke out on Friday evening.
A woman and a man are among the wounded in critical condition and are currently receiving treatment at Aino Mina Hospital.
Afghanistan’s official spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed the attacks by Pakistani forces in a post on X, claiming that the Pakistani troops on the Afghan territory initiated the attacks.
“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,” Mujahid stated in his post on X on Saturday.
Meanwhile, according to Dawn, the heavy exchange of fire erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces along the Chaman border late Friday night, with officials from both sides blaming each other for triggering the confrontation.
Pakistani authorities claimed that Afghan forces fired mortar shells at the Badani area, as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, citing official sources, Pakistani forces retaliated against what they described as Afghan aggression.
A senior Quetta official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the firefight began around 10 pm on Friday and continued into the late hours on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.
Medical Superintendent of Pakistan’s Chaman district hospital, Muhammad Owais, reported that three people, including a woman, were brought to the hospital with injuries following the clash.
There were still no official statements from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) or the Foreign Office after the clashes, Dawn reported.
Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have frequently escalated in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of violations along their border region.