Fighting has erupted again along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Both sides have shelled each other’s territory with artillery, and military aircraft have also been used. The Taliban claims that Pakistani military planes violated Afghanistan’s airspace. There are casualties and injuries on both sides.

Axar.az reports that these comments were made by political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu.

According to him, various armed clashes occur between the two countries throughout the year, resulting in the deaths of dozens of soldiers:

“Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, tensions with Pakistan have risen. Previously, Pakistan played a role in the formation of the Taliban. However, an armed group called the ‘Tehrik-i-Pakistan’ (Pakistan Taliban) operating in Afghanistan conducts attacks on Pakistani border areas. In response, Pakistan strikes the locations of these forces within Afghanistan.

One major reason for rising tension is the unclear border between the two countries. The 2,670 km-long border was established by British colonizers in 1893. Afghanistan does not officially recognize the border, known as the ‘Durand Line,’ which further fuels tensions. When Pakistan strikes various armed groups attempting to cross the border, the Taliban interprets this as an attack on Afghan territory and retaliates. Taliban fighters do not consider captured posts in Pakistani territory as part of a neighboring country.

While local armed clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan do not lead to a full-scale war, they create tension in the region. This tension is particularly concerning for Beijing, as China has investments in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The instability threatens various regional projects involving these two countries.”

The analyst emphasized that tensions will not ease until the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is formally defined:

“To establish the border, a bilateral commission must be formed. The problem is compounded by the fact that the mountainous borders of other neighboring countries in the region are also not precisely defined.”