A fragile two-month ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been shattered after an overnight exchange of fire along their shared border left five Afghan civilians dead and eight others wounded, officials from both nations confirmed on Saturday, 6 December 2025.
Details of the Deadly Incident
The violence erupted in the border area near the Afghan city of Spin Boldak, in Kandahar province. Ali Mohammad Haqmal, head of information for Spin Boldak District, stated that the victims included three children and one woman. On the Pakistani side, near the city of Chaman, a hospital official named Mohammad Awais reported three civilians, including a woman, were wounded by what he described as shooting and shelling originating from Afghanistan.
Each side has pointed the finger at the other for initiating the hostilities. Abidullah Farooqi, a spokesman for the Afghan border police, claimed Pakistani forces first threw a hand grenade into the Spin Boldak area, prompting a response. He asserted that Afghanistan remains committed to the ceasefire. Conversely, Mohammad Sadiq, a local Pakistani police official, insisted the shooting started from the Afghan side, with Pakistani troops returning fire near the crucial Chaman border crossing.
A History of Tension and Failed Diplomacy
This latest clash occurs against a backdrop of severe strain between the two neighbours. Tensions have been critically high since October, when deadly border fighting killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants. That violence was itself triggered by explosions in Kabul on 9 October, which the Taliban government blamed on Pakistan.
A Qatar-mediated ceasefire was established in October and had largely held until now. However, subsequent peace talks have failed to produce a lasting agreement. The relationship is further complicated by Pakistan's accusations that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group separate from but allied to the Afghan Taliban, operates from Afghan soil. Pakistan's military announced on Saturday that its forces had killed nine TTP militants in operations within Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Immediate Aftermath and Accusations
The timing of the clash is particularly notable, coming just a day after Pakistan agreed to allow United Nations relief supplies into Afghanistan through the Chaman and Torkham crossings. These key transit routes have been mostly closed for nearly two months.
Official statements from both capitals underscored the deep rift. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, posted on X that the "Afghan Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing," adding that Pakistani forces remain alert to ensure territorial integrity. Meanwhile, Afghan officials provided a conflicting timeline, with Haqmal stating their forces did not respond for 10-15 minutes after Pakistani firing began and ceased their own fire within an hour, alleging Pakistani shooting continued until morning.
This incident marks the most serious breach of the recent ceasefire and raises fears of a renewed escalation along one of the world's most volatile borders.
