Pakistan-Afghanistan Clashes Kill 13; Trade Falls 95%

Fresh clashes erupted between Pakistani forces and the Afghan Taliban along the Durand Line, resulting in over 13 reported casualties on the Pakistani side near Angor Adda Bazaar. Top security sources told CNN-News18 that civilians were included among the dead and injured as cross-border fighting intensified. The escalation followed a missile attack by the Afghan Taliban on Pakistani military positions, which reportedly destroyed multiple posts and triggered the latest round of exchanges.

Security inputs indicate that Taliban fighters attempted to retake border posts previously lost, leading to fierce combat with Pakistani forces who responded to the shelling. This confrontation occurs amid deteriorating relations, with both sides accusing the other of supporting militant groups. Allegations further suggest Pakistan’s military, under Army Chief Asim Munir, has recruited former Afghan National Army personnel and local warlords to build an armed force against the Taliban.

Balochistan-based journalist Fateh Baloch claimed the Pakistan Army established training camps in Dalbandin, Kuchlak, and Hazarganji in Quetta, recruiting fighters paid between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of undermining peace by facilitating militant infiltration, while former US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad warned of further deterioration in bilateral relations.

The hostilities have severely disrupted bilateral trade, which declined by approximately 95 percent amid the closure of key border crossings. Data from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan showed bilateral trade fell to $358 million in 2025-26 from $1.3 billion in 2024-25. Pakistan closed its main border crossings on October 12, 2025, following deadly clashes, linking their reopening to action against militant groups operating from Afghan territory, which the Taliban deny supporting despite a UN report suggesting otherwise.

What to watch: Potential reopening of border crossings and further military engagements along the Durand Line.

Editor's note: The draft successfully integrates multiple facets of the report, including the trade data, military allegations, and geopolitical context.