Fresh border clashes have broken out between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban forces, with both sides accusing each other of breaking a fragile ceasefire.
Residents fled the Afghan town of Spin Boldak overnight, which lies along the 2,574-kilometer (1,600-mile) border the two countries share.
A medical source in the nearby city of Kandahar told the BBC that a local hospital had received the bodies of four people. It was unclear if there were any fatalities on the Pakistani side.
Sporadic fighting has repeatedly broken out between the two in recent months, while Afghanistan’s Taliban government has also accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes inside the country.
Both sides have confirmed that they exchanged fire during the night, but each blamed the other for starting the four hours of fighting.
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accused the Taliban of “unprovoked firing.”
A statement continued: “Our armed forces have given an immediate, appropriate and intense response. Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens.”
Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesman said Pakistan had “initiated attacks once again” and was forced to respond.
Images from the area showed large numbers of Afghans fleeing on foot and in vehicles, with people in neighboring towns also leaving out of fear that new fighting would spread.
The overnight clashes came less than two months after both sides agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Türkiye.
It ended the worst fighting between Pakistan and the Taliban since the group returned to power in 2021, although tensions remain high.
The government in Islamabad has long accused the Taliban who rule Afghanistan of harboring armed groups carrying out attacks in Pakistan.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan denies the allegation and has accused Pakistan of blaming others for its “own security failures.”
Last week, delegations from both sides met in Saudi Arabia for a fourth round of negotiations on a broader peace deal, but failed to reach an agreement.
Sources familiar with the talks told BBC News that both sides had agreed to continue the ceasefire.
