Eid truce ends, artillery fire rekindles Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

Renewed fighting broke out along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Wednesday after a temporary Eid al-Fitr ceasefire expired, highlighting the fragile security situation even as both sides contend with rising militant activity.

Afghan Taliban officials said Pakistani forces fired dozens of artillery shells into eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province , targeting the Narai and Sarkano districts. The shelling reportedly killed two civilians and injured eight others . Ziaur Rahman Speenghar, a provincial official, said Afghan border forces retaliated, claiming they destroyed three Pakistani military posts and killed one person. These claims could not be independently verified. Pakistan’s military has not issued an official response, though a local official blamed Afghan forces for initiating the exchange of fire.

The escalation comes just days after both countries agreed to halt hostilities following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan , in a truce reportedly facilitated by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. The strikes remain a major point of dispute. The Afghan Taliban government alleged they hit civilian infrastructure, including a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul , claiming more than 400 deaths , a figure yet to be independently confirmed. Pakistan has denied targeting civilians, stating it struck an ammunition depot .

Compounding tensions, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced it had resumed attacks within Pakistan after its own brief Eid ceasefire. The group, separate but allied to the Afghan Taliban, has intensified operations since 2021.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering TTP fighters behind cross-border attacks, a charge the Afghan Taliban denies. Pakistan has vowed to continue targeting the group inside Afghanistan until assurances are met.

The renewed clashes reflect a deepening cycle of retaliation, where ceasefires remain short-lived and prospects for sustained peace continue to diminish.