EU Warns of Escalating Border Tensions Between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Kaja Kallas, the newly appointed European Union foreign policy chief, has expressed concern over ongoing tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, warning that continued clashes could pose a fresh threat to regional stability.
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Kallas said she had spoken with Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, to urge him to clearly condemn the actions of extremist and terrorist groups. Kallas added that both sides had been called upon to work toward extending the ceasefire and de-escalating the situation.
According to the EU official, the violence along the Durand Line—the de facto frontier between the two countries—not only claims lives on both sides but also undermines regional stability. She emphasized that maintaining the ceasefire and reducing tensions is an urgent necessity for all parties involved.
The Taliban administration has claimed it does not seek to start a war, but has warned that any violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty would be met with a response. However, just hours after the ceasefire was extended, Pakistani military forces reportedly launched cross-border strikes into Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Tuesday evening. Local sources say the attacks killed at least ten people.
Border skirmishes between Pakistan and the Taliban have occurred repeatedly since the group regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The Taliban’s failure to clamp down on extremist groups using Afghan territory as a haven is widely seen as a key factor in the ongoing crisis.
