Deadly clashes erupted along Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, marking a new low in the countries’ ties since the Taliban retook power in 2021.
The violence killed dozens of Pakistani soldiers and Taliban fighters and comes days after Islamabad bombed an Afghan market close to the border, alleging it held a terrorist base.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of offering a safe haven to militants carrying out cross-border attacks.
The confrontations, while risking a broader conflict, also pose a geopolitical opportunity for India, which has cautiously sought to improve relations with the Taliban, perhaps filling the diplomatic hole left by its regional rival, Pakistan, analysts said.
AD