ISLAMABAD/KABUL, October 15, 2025 – Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a temporary 48-hour ceasefire along their contested border on Wednesday after recent airstrikes and ground fighting killed more than a dozen civilians and dozens of troops. The ceasefire aims to ease tensions and provide space for “constructive dialogue,” officials said.

According to a Pakistani foreign ministry statement, the truce starts at 1300 GMT Wednesday and was agreed upon at the request of the Afghan Taliban government. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the agreement resulted from the “request and insistence of the Pakistani side” and that Kabul ordered its forces to respect the ceasefire, unless provoked.

The latest clashes follow Islamabad’s demands that the Taliban administration rein in militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan, including fighters operating from Afghan territory. The Taliban denies these allegations, accusing Pakistan of spreading misinformation, provoking border tensions, and harboring ISIS-linked militants. Pakistan rejects these claims and highlights ongoing attacks by ISIS-K, the regional affiliate of the Islamic State.

The ceasefire represents a temporary pause in the worst cross-border fighting between the two neighbors since the Taliban seized power in 2021, after which hundreds of troops and civilians were killed in sporadic clashes along the Durand Line.