(MENAFN- IANS) Kabul, Oct 15 (IANS) Pakistan and Afghanistan have announced that both countries have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, effective from 5.30 PM (Kabul time) Wednesday. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the ceasefire has been reached after a request made by the Pakistan side.

"At the request and insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire will be implemented between the two countries after 5:30 PM. The Islamic Emirate also instructs all its forces to observe the ceasefire after 5:30 PM as long as no one violates it," Mujahid posted on X.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed the development. The Foreign Office said that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to halt hostilities for 48 hours to allow resolution of the ongoing issues through diplomatic means, reported leading Pakistani media outlet Samaa TV.

The truce comes after escalating border tensions between both countries following a series of clashes and airstrikes in recent days. The Taliban spokesperson said that 12 Afghan civilians were killed and over 100 others injured in attacks launched by the Pakistani forces on the Spin Boldak district in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan on Wednesday.

He said that the Pakistani forces launched an attack on the border district early morning using light and heavy weapons. Multiple Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by Afghan forces, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

"Unfortunately, this morning, Pakistani forces once again launched attacks with light and heavy weapons on Afghanistan in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, as a result of which more than 12 civilians were martyred and more than 100 were injured. After that, Afghan forces were forced to take retaliatory action," Mujahid posted on X.

"In retaliatory operations, multiple Pakistani aggressor soldiers were killed, their posts and centres were captured, weapons and tanks fell into the hands of Afghan forces, and most of their military installations were destroyed. However, the mujahideen, with high spirits, are ready to defend their homeland, sanctuaries, and people," he added.

Taliban officials said that the clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces started at around 4 am (local time) and continued until 8 am (local time), Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported. Local sources revealed that clashes caused casualties on both sides, and nearby civilian areas suffered damage.

Speaking to local media, medical staff in Kandahar said that at least 25 bodies and more than 80 others injured were taken to hospitals after the attack. Officials said that many of those wounded included women and children from residential areas near the border.

Kabul has, meanwhile, also repeatedly rejected requests of Pakistani ministers and military leadership to visit Afghanistan.

Earlier this week, Afghan media outlet Tolo News reported that Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, head of intelligence Asim Malik, and two other Army Generals submitted separate requests for visas to travel to Afghanistan, all of which were denied by Kabul.

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