Pakistani airstrikes hit Afghanistan’s Paktika province, with attacks reportedly targeting residential homes in Argun and Barmal districts, according to Tolo News. A Taliban official speaking to news agency AFP confirmed the strikes saying that the “truce has been broken” by Islamabad.“Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika” the official told AFP adding that, “Afghanistan will retaliate.”
This comes hours after reports that the temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan was extended.A senior diplomatic source quoted by Pakistan’s Dawn news had confirmed that the ceasefire, which was set to expire Friday evening, had been extended until the conclusion of the Doha negotiations. A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed between Afghanistan and Pakistan following deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. The truce, which began on Wednesday at 6:00 pm Islamabad time, temporarily halted nearly a week of intense border clashes that had already claimed dozens of lives, including civilians and soldiers on both sides.The violence began escalating on Saturday, following explosions in Kabul just as the Taliban’s foreign minister embarked on a historic visit to India. In response, the Taliban launched an offensive along its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a forceful retaliation.Pakistani foreign office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan stated that it was essential to “wait for 48 hours” to see if the ceasefire held, although no further details were provided. Meanwhile, Taliban authorities remained silent when asked for comment on the situation post-ceasefire.Security concerns remain at the heart of the dispute, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge Kabul denies. Khan added that Pakistan expects “concrete and verifiable actions” from the Taliban to combat these groups operating from Afghan soil.Meanwhile, a deadly attack in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district claimed the lives of seven paramilitary troops just before the truce ended, with a faction of the TTP claiming responsibility. The ceasefire’s expiration also coincided with a deadly bombing and gun attack in Mir Ali, Pakistan, where at least one soldier was killed in the ensuing shootout.
