Pakistan and Afghanistan Renew Cross-Border Attacks Amid Diplomatic Breakdown

Once again, Pakistan and Afghanistan find themselves locked in a perilous cycle of accusations and violence along the contested Durand Line border. This recent surge in hostilities marks a grim setback following the collapse of diplomatic talks brokered in Saudi Arabia between Kabul's Taliban government and Islamabad. Who is responsible? The finger-pointing continues. The Taliban’s chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, claims Pakistani forces initiated attacks in Afghanistan’s Spin Bodak district. Hours later, Pakistani security sources—speaking anonymously—assert that Afghan Taliban militants fired first across the border sector near Chaman. This tit-for-tat exchange reveals a deeper instability at play. Pakistani officials warn that...