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Taliban Declare Truce ‘Broken’ After Pakistan Strikes on Afghanistan 

The tenuous peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears to have ended after days of escalating conflict that came to a head as Afghanistan accused its neighbor of carrying out airstrikes on its territory on Friday. A Taliban spokesman told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) that “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika,” […]

The tenuous peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears to have ended after days of escalating conflict that came to a head as Afghanistan accused its neighbor of carrying out airstrikes on its territory on Friday.

A Taliban spokesman told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) that “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika,” which means the “truce has been broken” and “Afghanistan will retaliate.”

The two nations had only just agreed to a temporary ceasefire after a border clash earlier this week killed dozens of soldiers.

Newsweek reached out to the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email outside of normal working hours.

Why It Matters

U.S. President Donald Trump previously suggested he may look to intervene to help bring peace to the region, having worked on other peace deals in recent months. The fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has potential ripple effects, including the chance of escalating tensions between India, China, Russia, and the United States, who all have interests in the region.

What To Know

Both sides have accused the other of violations that led to the incident: Islamabad accused Kabul of harboring and enabling terrorist groups, which have carried out attacks on Pakistan’s territory; Kabul, in turn, accused Islamabad of violating its airspace and attacking territory in the east.

Further fighting occurred on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of a dozen people, before the two nations agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, according to Reuters. Representatives from both countries met in Doha to agree to a long-standing ceasefire, but hopes of reaching a deal at this point seem distant.

The truce on Wednesday brought at least a temporary halt to the deadliest clashes between the neighbors since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government as the U.S. and NATO forces were withdrawing after 20 years of war.

There was no immediate response in Islamabad to Kabul’s accusations on Wednesday, and it was not immediately clear how this would affect the ceasefire. The United Nations welcomed the ceasefire on Thursday, urging both sides to bring a lasting end to hostilities.

The truce announced by the two sides on Wednesday followed appeals from major regional powers, as the violence threatened to destabilize a region where groups, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda, are trying to resurface. There were no reports of overnight fighting. Key border crossings remained closed on Thursday.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the ceasefire. It said the heaviest toll was in the south on Wednesday.

The mission, known as UNAMA, said on Thursday that 37 civilians were killed and 425 were wounded in Afghanistan as a result of cross-border clashes with Pakistan this week. The casualties occurred in Paktya, Paktika, Kunar, Khost, Kandahar and Helmand provinces, it said.

UNAMA said it has also documented at least 16 civilian casualties in several Afghan provinces during earlier clashes between the two countries.

What People Are Saying

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in a Thursday press release: “UNAMA calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life, and reminds all parties of their obligations under international law to comply with the key principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution to prevent civilian casualties.”

President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday, while in the Middle East: “I hear there’s a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I’ll have to wait till I get back. You know, I’m doing another one, because I’m good at solving wars.” 

What Happens Next

With delegates from both nations having already met earlier Friday and announcing an extension hours before the Taliban’s announcement, it remained to be seen if the truce could be saved.

This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

Update 10/17/25, 3:09 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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