Pakistan violates ceasefire with airstrikes in Afghanistan; 3 Afghan cricketers killed, several injured
Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have once again escalated. Hours after Islamabad and Kabul announced an extension of a previously declared 48-hour ceasefire on Friday, Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghanistan late on Friday night. Afghan media outlet TOLO News reported that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in several districts of Paktika province, including targeting civilian houses. Reports suggest that numerous people were killed, including women and children. At least three Afghan cricket players were among those killed while returning home from a cricket game, as reported by NDTV.
The ACB listed the three players as “Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon” adding that there were five others murdered in the attack, as reported by NDTV. Following the attack, Afghanistan withdrew from a tri-nation series. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) did not provide any further details about the incident.
What triggered the sudden escalation between Pakistan and the Taliban?
These deadly strikes come amid a 48-hour ceasefire agreement between the two nations following days of intense cross-border clashes. The airstrike took place at a time when a temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan had been extended until the end of the Doha discussions. Talks between the two sides were due to start on Friday, but media reports suggested that the Taliban delegation is expected to arrive on Saturday.
According to Tolo News, citing sources, the 48-hour ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan was extended, at Pakistan’s request, until the conclusion of the ongoing talks in Doha. Negotiations between the two sides are set to begin on Saturday. The Afghan delegation, led by its Defence Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, is expected to depart for Doha on Saturday
When did the ceasefire get violated by Pakistan?
Late Friday evening, three club-level Afghan cricket players were killed and several others were injured in the bombing. TOLO News stated that the players had played a match and were returning to Argun district from the provincial capital, Sharan, in Paktika province.
At the same time, the Taliban in Afghanistan warned Pakistan that there would be retaliation against these attacks. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Taliban official said to AFP, “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika” province, further adding that “Afghanistan will retaliate.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced that a temporary ceasefire was reached with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours following days of intense cross-border clashes between the two sides.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, “A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6 pm today, at the request of the Taliban.”The statement added that “during this period, both sides will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue.”
Taliban regime spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed on X that Afghan forces had been instructed to respect the truce “unless any aggression takes place. Earlier this week, Pakistan launched a significant airstrike in the district of Spin Boldak, Kandahar. The Taliban claimed that the airstrike caused 40 deaths in Spin Boldak, while more than 170 people were injured.
The fighting has continued to intensify between the two nations and has heightened tensions between the countries, causing hundreds to remain stranded. The fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan started the night of October 11, when Afghan forces attacked a Pakistani military post. On Wednesday at around 3:44 PM, Pakistan carried out an airstrike on areas within District 4 of Kabul city, causing serious destruction to several residential homes, Tolo News reported.
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