Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry released a statement on Tuesday calling for calm amid fresh bloodshed along the Pakistan‑Afghanistan border. The Kingdom urges both sides to keep their wits about them, avoid escalation, and turn to dialogue to secure stability in the region.
The flare‑up began late Saturday night when Taliban fighters reportedly fired on several Pakistani border posts in Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including Angoor Adda and Baramcha. Pakistani forces quickly returned fire, striking Afghan posts and reportedly killing dozens of Taliban and Tehreek‑i‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters.
Security officials say the Taliban aimed to push banned TTP militants across the Durand Line into Pakistan. In turn, Pakistani troops targeted Afghan positions, causing significant damage to enemy posts and hardening tensions.
The clashes have been linked to earlier accusations that Islamabad carried out air strikes on the Afghan capital, driving Taliban border units in eastern provinces such as Kunar, Nangarhar and Helmand to retaliate. Kabul has denied wrongdoing but has been urged by Islamabad to stop sheltering TTP fighters on its soil.
Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad weighed in on the weekend, warning that any further Pakistani strikes in Kabul would be a dangerous escalation. He posted on X that dialogue, not military action, is the only way to address the issue of terrorist sanctuaries on both sides of the border.
Meanwhile, Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah reported an explosion in Kabul late Thursday, though no damage has been confirmed and investigations are underway. The incident adds to the already tense atmosphere as Pakistan’s defence minister warned that collateral damage cannot be ruled out if Pakistani forces are attacked.
Saudi Arabia’s call for self‑restraint comes as Afghanistan’s foreign minister is on a week‑long visit to India—its first high‑level meeting with Kabul since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.
With the border zone flaring into a full‑scale confrontation, countries in the region remain on high alert, while international voices lobby for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
Source: aninews
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
