Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border continue to escalate, with the latest clash occurring on Sunday near the Torkham border crossing. According to Afghan media outlet Tolo News, Afghan border forces were building a bunker for their armored vehicles when Pakistani troops opened fire. Pakistan has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
This clash marks the latest in a series of border skirmishes that have grown increasingly frequent since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan reached a peak in December 2024, when Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory resulted in the deaths of dozens. Hostilities have persisted into 2025, with Pakistan repeatedly conducting airstrikes within Afghanistan. Islamabad claims these operations target sanctuaries of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group it accuses of carrying out attacks on Pakistani soil. However, these incursions have become a major point of contention between the two nations, further straining their already fragile relationship.
Adding to the strain is Pakistan’s large-scale repatriation of Afghan refugees. Since Pakistan’s crackdown on undocumented migrants began in late 2023, the Associated Press reports that an estimated 800,000 Afghans have been repatriated. Over the weekend, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation issued a statement accusing Pakistan of forcibly deporting Afghan refugees. The ministry further alleged that Pakistani police have been conducting night raids on Afghan refugees homes and subjecting them to mistreatment. This has further exacerbated tensions between the two nations has complicating bilateral relations.
At the heart of these tensions lies the long-standing border dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like previous Afghan governments, the Taliban does not recognize the Durand Line as an official boundary. The Durand Line, a 2,670-kilometer border drawn by the British in 1893, has been a contentious issue for over a century. Afghanistan has historically contested its legitimacy, arguing that it divides ethnic Pashtun communities and was imposed under colonial rule.
In contrast, Afghanistan’s relations with other neighboring countries, particularly Iran and Central Asian nations, have been increasingly focused on trade and connectivity. Afghanistan is actively working to strengthen infrastructure ties, including the development of railway links with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. These efforts aim to enhance regional trade and economic integration. As a result, Afghanistan’s trade with these countries has been steadily growing, marking a significant shift toward fostering economic partnerships and improving regional cooperation.
Over the weekend, Iran’s acting ambassador to Afghanistan, Alireza Bikdeli, emphasized that Iran’s key policy priority is the development of well-established communication routes with Afghanistan. He stated that such infrastructure would facilitate the smooth movement of people, support trade for merchants, and enable the efficient transportation of goods and vehicles between the two countries.
As tensions with Pakistan persist, Afghanistan’s diplomatic and economic engagements with its other neighbors have emerged as a crucial factor in shaping the region’s stability.
Poland’s Special Representative for Afghanistan met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister in Kabul to discuss political ties, Afghan refugees in Europe, and future economic cooperation, signaling a cautious but growing engagement between the two nations.
Two influential Turkic states — Uzbekistan and Türkiye — are intensifying their diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, signaling a shift in regional dynamics focused on pragmatic cooperation over political isolation.
At the Astana International Forum, senior officials from Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan held talks to strengthen bilateral cooperation, with a focus on trade, economic collaboration, and regional stability.
Afghanistan is ramping up its regional diplomatic efforts, aiming to bolster both economic and security ties across Asia.
The World Food Programme has issued a stark warning over Afghanistan’s deepening hunger crisis, urgently appealing for $555 million to continue life-saving food assistance for millions at risk.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S., citing security threats. The order takes effect on June 9 and will not affect visas issued before that date.
Massive flooding in India’s northeastern Assam state has displaced hundreds of thousands and endangered rare one-horned rhinoceroses in one of the country's most densely populated rhino habitats.
The Philippines has inked a $700 million agreement with South Korea's KAI to acquire 12 advanced FA-50 fighter jets by 2030, enhancing its military capabilities amid regional tensions.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are twice as fast as their predecessors in training massive AI models, cutting chip use and time dramatically, new benchmarks reveal.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
China on Wednesday sharply criticized U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Secretary of State Marco Rubio over his remarks commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, accusing the United States of “distorting historical facts” and attacking China’s political system.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to coordinate efforts in monitoring and controlling locust infestations along their shared border, as concerns mount over potential threats to regional agriculture.
A vibrant cultural exchange fair celebrating the rich traditions of Kazakhstan and China drew large crowds to Abai Square in Almaty this week, offering visitors an immersive experience into the music, cuisine, and crafts of both nations.
Azerbaijan and China are exploring expanded cooperation to increase the number of container block trains traversing the Middle Corridor, a vital East-West freight route linking China with Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
A devastating drought gripping parts of China’s key wheat-growing regions has severely cut harvest yields for many farmers, raising fresh concerns about agricultural resilience in the world’s largest wheat producer.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S., citing security threats. The order takes effect on June 9 and will not affect visas issued before that date.
Massive flooding in India’s northeastern Assam state has displaced hundreds of thousands and endangered rare one-horned rhinoceroses in one of the country's most densely populated rhino habitats.
The Philippines has inked a $700 million agreement with South Korea's KAI to acquire 12 advanced FA-50 fighter jets by 2030, enhancing its military capabilities amid regional tensions.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are twice as fast as their predecessors in training massive AI models, cutting chip use and time dramatically, new benchmarks reveal.
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