Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire following intense cross-border fighting that left at least 15 civilians dead and over 100 injured in Afghanistan's Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province. The violence erupted after alleged Pakistani military strikes, prompting Afghan forces to retaliate and claim the capture of several Pakistani positions.

The temporary ceasefire began at around 5:30 pm (Pakistan Standard Time) on Wednesday. Pakistan's foreign ministry announced the ceasefire in order to at ease the hostilities and open a channel for dialogue.

Local media reports in Afghanistan quoted Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid that 'at the request & insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire between the two countries will take effect this evening after 5:30 PM'.

#BreakingNewsThe spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, told TOLOnews that, at the request & insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire between the two countries will take effect this evening after 5:30 PM.@Zabehulah_M33 twitter/PRRFE3uv7q

- Muhammad Jalal (@MJalalAf) October 15, 2025

Heavy firing along Spin Boldak border 

Fresh tensions erupted along the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province after Pakistani forces allegedly opened fire using both light and heavy weapons on Afghan territory, targeting civilian areas. According to Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan's foreign ministry, at least 12 civilians were killed and more than 100 were injured in the cross-border shelling.“Unfortunately, this morning, Pakistani forces once again launched attacks with light and heavy weapons on Afghanistan in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar,” Mujahid said in an official statement.

AFP later confirmed that 15 civilians had died in the fresh clashes.

Afghan forces' retaliatory operations 

In response to the reported assault, Afghan forces retaliated by launching a counter-operation targeting Pakistani military positions along the contested border. Mujahid claimed that several Pakistani soldiers were killed, and military posts, weapons, and tanks were seized by Afghan troops. He also asserted that multiple Pakistani military installations were destroyed, adding that Afghan forces had regained control of the area by 8 am.“The mujahideen, with high morale, are ready to defend their homeland and people,” he said.

While Afghanistan's claims of inflicting heavy losses on Pakistani forces could not be independently confirmed, the reports indicate significant escalation along one of the most volatile stretches of the Pak-Afghan border, long plagued by cross-border attacks and militant movements.

The Spin Boldak border crossing has long been a strategic flashpoint between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The latest clashes highlight the fragile and volatile state of bilateral relations, with both sides blaming each other for cross-border aggression and sheltering militants operating in the border zones.

(With inputs from agencies)

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