Border clashes have broken out again between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban forces, with both sides accusing the other of breaking a fragile ceasefire.
Residents fled the city of Spin Boldak, located along the 2,600km border between the two Afghan countries, overnight.
A health worker in the nearby city of Kandahar told BBC Pashto that four bodies had been taken to a local hospital. Four other people were injured. In Pakistan, three people were reported injured.
Sporadic fighting has broken out between the two countries in recent months, and the Taliban government in Afghanistan has also accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes inside the country.
Both sides confirmed they had exchanged gunfire throughout the night, but blamed each other for starting the four-hour battle.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi accused the Taliban of “opening fire unprovoked.”
The statement continued: “Our troops responded immediately, appropriately and forcefully. Pakistan remains vigilant and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens.”
Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesman said Pakistan had “launched attacks once again” and was “forced to respond.”
Residents of the Afghanistan border area said the gunfight began around 22:30 (18:00 GMT) on Friday..
Videos from the area showed scores of Afghans fleeing on foot or in vehicles.
Kandahar Intelligence Director Ali Mohammed Hakmal said Pakistani troops attacked with “small and heavy artillery” and civilian homes were hit by mortars.
The clashes occurred less than two months after the two sides agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Türkiye.
It ends more than a week of fighting that left dozens dead. This is the worst clash between Pakistan and the Taliban since the group returned to power in 2021, but tensions remain high.
Islamabad’s government has long accused Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban of providing sanctuary to militants carrying out attacks in Pakistan.
The Taliban government has denied these accusations and accused Pakistan of blaming others for “its own security failures.”
The Pakistani Taliban has carried out at least 600 attacks against Pakistani forces over the past year, according to the Armed Concord Location & Event Data Project.
Last week, representatives from both sides met in Saudi Arabia for a fourth round of talks on a broader peace settlement, but failed to reach an agreement.
Sources familiar with the talks told BBC News that both sides had agreed to continue the ceasefire.
