After a deadly day of fighting along their shared border, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire. The temporary halt in violence began at 6:00 PM Pakistan time (6:30 PM IST) on Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day, intense clashes left dozens dead and many others injured.

Pakistan claimed that the Afghan side requested the ceasefire, although Afghanistan has not officially confirmed this or responded to the claim. Pakistan said it carried out military operations overnight, killing numerous Afghan soldiers and militants. It added that it had destroyed tanks and border posts in response to what it called unprovoked attacks from Afghanistan.

However, Pakistan denied targeting civilians after the Taliban said at least a dozen civilians were killed and over 100 were injured in a strike in Kandahar province. In retaliation, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Afghan forces destroyed a Pakistani army outpost and captured a tank.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of giving shelter to militants who carry out terrorist attacks on its soil. These attacks, it says, have increased since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Afghanistan denies these accusations and insists it does not allow its territory to be used for attacks on other countries.

This week’s violence is the worst seen between the two countries in recent years. It marks the second such clash in just a few days and has raised fears of a larger conflict in a region already threatened by extremist groups such as ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Earlier in the week, a brief pause in fighting occurred after peace appeals from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The latest violence happened during a visit by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India. Islamabad views this as a sign that India is working to rebuild ties with Afghanistan. India recently announced that it will upgrade its diplomatic mission in Kabul to a full embassy. As tensions remain high, both sides have agreed to seek peaceful solutions through dialogue.