Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged heavy gunfire on the night of Friday, 5 December 2025, along several points of their shared border, according to official statements from both countries.
The clashes were reported near the Chaman border crossing in Balochistan, as well as around Spin Boldak in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, two strategic transit points that have long been flashpoints of tension between the neighbours.
A spokesperson for the Pakistani government said the incident began after Afghan forces allegedly opened unprovoked fire along the Chaman border. However, Afghan authorities, including a spokesman for the ruling Taliban administration, offered a different account, stating that their forces only responded after what they described as an attack by Pakistani border troops in Spin Boldak.
Local sources said the exchange involved heavy weapons, including mortar shells and machine-gun fire. Despite the intensity of the fighting, no independent confirmation of casualties or fatalities was available at the time of reporting. Both sides accused each other of breaching a fragile ceasefire.
The confrontation came just days after peace talks between Islamabad and Kabul ended without a breakthrough, highlighting the continued instability along the border despite ongoing diplomatic engagements.
Officials from both countries said their security forces remain on high alert, but also emphasised the need to avoid further escalation. Meanwhile, residents in nearby border communities reportedly began evacuating as a precaution amid fears of renewed violence.
