Calm returns to Chaman border after heavy Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes

Chaman [Pakistan], December 7 (ANI): Calm returned to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Chaman on Saturday after heavy clashes a day earlier, Dawn reported.
At least three civilians were injured on Friday night and taken to the district hospital in Chaman. On the Afghan side, five people were wounded, according to Afghan government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat.
Officials said Afghan forces fired mortar rounds on the Badani area, prompting Pakistani security forces to retaliate. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
A statement issued on Saturday morning said, "A short while ago, the Afghan Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing along the Chaman border. An immediate, befitting & intense response has been given by our armed forces." It further stated, "Pakistan remains fully alert & committed to ensuring its territorial integrity & the safety [of] our citizens."
A senior official in Quetta said on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire began around 10 pm and continued late into the night.
The incident took place amid stalled negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan after three rounds of talks in Istanbul failed to make progress, Dawn said.
Border tensions first erupted on October 11, and relations have remained strained as the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains a key issue between the two countries. Pakistan has repeatedly called on Kabul to take measures to curb cross-border terrorism.
Earlier, the Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated Pakistan's willingness to continue talks with Afghanistan. A temporary ceasefire was announced on October 15 following discussions in Doha, Dawn noted.
After the Doha meeting, both sides agreed to reconvene in Istanbul to pursue arrangements for lasting peace and stability. A second round of talks took place on October 25 in the Turkish capital. However, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated in a post on X on October 29 that the talks "failed to bring about any workable solution."
Mediators Turkiye and Qatar intervened and issued a joint statement on October 31 saying that "further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided" during a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6.
But following the November 7 discussions, Defence Minister Khawaja said talks addressing cross-border terrorism were "over" and had "entered an indefinite phase" after negotiators were unable to resolve major differences.
After talks collapsed, the Afghan Taliban suspended trade ties with Pakistan. Pakistan had already halted cross-border trade soon after the clashes. (ANI)